Routine newborn health screenings are provided as part of your baby’s care while in the hospital to make sure that there are no medical issues requiring immediate attention and evaluation. In the first few minutes after birth, babies are evaluated with the Apgar test, which assigns an overall “score” to rate their breathing, heart rate, muscle tone, skin color and reflexes. Newborns also undergo hearing tests and receive a Vitamin K shot to avoid a blood clotting problem, as well as antibiotic eye drops as a preventive measure against eye infections. Newborns also receive their first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine, with two additional “booster” shots provided by their pediatrician or family physician by the time they reach 18 months.
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