---
title: Neonatal Care Terminology
description: Learn common neonatal and NICU terms related to newborn assessment, treatments, breathing support, nutrition, and family care.
---
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# Neonatal Care Terminology
## A glossary of common terms related to newborn assessment, intensive care, breathing support, nutrition, treatment, and discharge planning.
### **Neonatal Care Terminology**
Use this glossary to explain common terms that families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals may hear when discussing newborn care, premature birth, or a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay.
Neonatal care may include monitoring, breathing support, diagnostic testing, nutrition, medication, developmental care, and family education. The care a newborn receives depends on gestational age, medical condition, symptoms, and response to treatment.
### Care settings and basic terms
- **Neonatal care:** Specialized medical and nursing care for newborns, including infants who are premature, ill, or need additional monitoring after birth.
- **Neonatology:** The medical specialty focused on the care of newborns, especially premature or critically ill infants.
- **Neonatologist:** A physician who specializes in caring for newborns with complex medical needs.
- **Newborn or neonate:** A baby during the first period after birth.
- **Premature or preterm:** Born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.
- **Gestational age:** The number of weeks of pregnancy completed at the time of birth or another assessment.
- **Corrected age:** An infant’s age adjusted for the number of weeks they were born before their due date. Healthcare professionals may use corrected age when discussing development and follow-up.
- **Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU):** A specialized hospital unit for newborns who need intensive monitoring, treatment, or breathing support.
- **Neonatal nursery or special care nursery:** A unit that provides care for newborns who need more support or observation than is available in a routine newborn nursery but may not need intensive care.
- **Neonatal team:** The healthcare professionals involved in a newborn’s care, which may include physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, lactation professionals, pharmacists, social workers, and developmental specialists.
- **Family-centered care:** Care that includes the family or caregivers in communication, education, decision-making, and comfort measures when appropriate.
- **Kangaroo care:** Holding a diapered newborn skin-to-skin against a parent or caregiver’s bare chest while the newborn is monitored and supported as needed.
- **Rooming-in:** A care arrangement in which a parent or caregiver stays with the newborn in the hospital and practices caregiving before discharge.
### Assessment and monitoring
- **Apgar score:** A quick assessment of a newborn’s condition after birth. It considers factors such as heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and skin color.
- **Vital signs:** Measurements such as heart rate, breathing rate, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.
- **Monitor:** Equipment that records and displays measurements such as heart rate, breathing, oxygen level, and sometimes blood pressure.
- **Pulse oximeter or pulse ox:** A sensor that estimates the amount of oxygen in the blood, usually through a sensor placed on the hand or foot.
- **Apnea:** A temporary pause in breathing. In premature newborns, apnea may occur with a slow heart rate or a drop in oxygen level.
- **Bradycardia:** A heart rate that is slower than expected for the newborn’s condition or age.
- **Desaturation or desat:** A drop in the newborn’s blood oxygen level.
- **Blood gas:** A test using a blood sample to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, acidity, and other information about breathing and blood chemistry.
- **Complete blood count (CBC):** A blood test that measures red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin.
- **Blood culture:** A laboratory test that checks a blood sample for bacteria or other organisms that may cause infection.
- **Sepsis evaluation:** A group of examinations and laboratory tests used to assess whether a newborn may have a serious infection.
- **Newborn screening:** A blood test or other screening performed after birth to check for certain conditions that may benefit from early treatment.
- **Head ultrasound:** An imaging test that uses sound waves to examine a newborn’s brain, including screening for bleeding such as intraventricular hemorrhage.
- **Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening:** Eye examinations used to check the development of blood vessels in the eyes of eligible premature newborns.
### Breathing and respiratory support
- **Respiratory distress:** Difficulty breathing or increased effort to breathe. Signs may include fast breathing, grunting, flaring of the nostrils, or pulling in of the chest.
- **Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS):** A breathing disorder, often associated with prematurity, in which immature lungs do not produce enough surfactant to keep the air sacs open.
- **Surfactant:** A substance in the lungs that helps keep the air sacs open and supports the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Some premature newborns receive surfactant as treatment.
- **Oxygen therapy:** Supplemental oxygen given to support the newborn’s oxygen level.
- **Nasal cannula:** Small prongs placed in the nose to deliver oxygen or a mixture of air and oxygen.
- **Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP):** Breathing support that delivers pressurized air or oxygen through nasal prongs or a mask to help keep the lungs open.
- **Endotracheal tube (ET tube):** A soft breathing tube placed through the mouth or nose into the trachea to deliver air, oxygen, or breaths.
- **Intubation:** Placing an endotracheal tube into the trachea to support the airway and breathing.
- **Extubation:** Removing the endotracheal tube after the newborn can breathe with less or no support.
- **Ventilator:** A machine that helps a newborn breathe by delivering controlled amounts of air and oxygen through a breathing tube.
- **Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD):** A chronic lung condition that may affect premature newborns who need prolonged oxygen or breathing support.
- **Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN):** A condition in which blood does not flow through the newborn’s lungs as expected, making it difficult to add oxygen to the blood.
- **Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO):** An advanced form of life support in which a machine adds oxygen to the blood and removes carbon dioxide while allowing the heart or lungs to rest.
### Lines, fluids, and medications
- **Peripheral intravenous line (PIV or IV):** A small tube placed in a vein, often in a hand, arm, foot, leg, or scalp, to give fluids or medication.
- **Central line:** An intravenous line that reaches a larger vein and may be used for longer-term medication, fluids, or nutrition.
- **Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC):** A long, thin catheter inserted through a peripheral vein and advanced toward a larger central vein.
- **Umbilical arterial catheter (UAC):** A catheter placed in an umbilical artery to monitor blood pressure or obtain blood samples.
- **Umbilical venous catheter (UVC):** A catheter placed in an umbilical vein to give fluids, medication, nutrition, or blood products.
- **Infusion pump:** A machine that delivers a precise amount of fluid, nutrition, or medication over time.
- **Antibiotics:** Medications used to treat or prevent certain bacterial infections.
- **Caffeine therapy:** Medication sometimes used to stimulate breathing and reduce episodes of apnea in premature newborns.
- **Blood transfusion:** Giving compatible blood or blood products through an IV or catheter to treat blood loss or a low blood count.
- **Exchange transfusion:** A procedure in which some of a newborn’s blood is gradually replaced with compatible blood, sometimes used for severe jaundice or other conditions.
### Nutrition and feeding
- **Breast milk or expressed breast milk:** Milk collected from a lactating parent and given to the newborn by breast, bottle, or feeding tube.
- **Donor human milk:** Human milk that has been donated, screened, processed, and provided for another newborn when appropriate.
- **Feeding tube:** A small tube used to provide milk or nutrition when a newborn cannot safely or effectively feed by mouth.
- **Nasogastric (NG) tube:** A feeding tube passed through the nose into the stomach.
- **Orogastric (OG) tube:** A feeding tube passed through the mouth into the stomach.
- **Gavage feeding:** Giving milk through a feeding tube into the stomach.
- **Nothing by mouth (NPO):** An instruction that the newborn should not receive food or liquid by mouth for a specified period.
- **Total parenteral nutrition (TPN):** Nutrition provided through an IV when a newborn cannot receive enough nutrition through the stomach or intestines.
- **Fortifier:** A supplement added to human milk to provide extra calories, protein, vitamins, or minerals when medically indicated.
- **Trophic feeds:** Very small amounts of milk given to help stimulate and prepare the digestive system before larger feedings are introduced.
- **Feeding readiness:** The newborn’s ability to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing safely during oral feeding.
### Common conditions and treatments
- **Jaundice:** Yellowing of the skin or eyes caused by a buildup of bilirubin.
- **Bilirubin:** A yellow substance produced when red blood cells break down. Newborns may have difficulty processing bilirubin because the liver is still developing.
- **Hyperbilirubinemia:** A higher-than-expected level of bilirubin in the blood.
- **Phototherapy:** Treatment using special light to help the body process and remove excess bilirubin.
- **Hypoglycemia:** A blood glucose level that is lower than expected and may require monitoring, feeding support, or treatment.
- **Anemia:** A lower-than-expected number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin, which can reduce the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
- **Sepsis:** A serious, potentially life-threatening response to an infection. Newborns may receive testing and antibiotics when sepsis is suspected.
- **Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC):** A serious condition involving inflammation and injury to the intestines, most often affecting premature or medically fragile newborns.
- **Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA):** An opening between major blood vessels near the heart that normally closes after birth but may remain open and require monitoring or treatment.
- **Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH):** Bleeding into or around the fluid-filled spaces, called ventricles, in a newborn’s brain.
- **Meconium:** A newborn’s first stool, which is usually thick and dark green or black.
- **Meconium aspiration syndrome:** Breathing problems that can occur when a newborn breathes meconium into the lungs before or around the time of birth.
### Discharge planning and follow-up
- **Discharge readiness:** The newborn’s ability to maintain body temperature, breathe safely, feed adequately, gain weight, and meet other individualized criteria for going home.
- **Car seat test:** A period of monitoring in an approved car seat to assess whether a premature or medically fragile newborn can maintain safe breathing and oxygen levels while positioned for travel.
- **Safe sleep:** Placing a newborn on their back on a firm, flat sleep surface without loose bedding, pillows, or soft objects, according to current safe-sleep guidance.
- **Discharge education:** Teaching for parents or caregivers about feeding, medications, equipment, warning signs, appointments, safe sleep, and when to seek help.
- **Room air:** Breathing the normal surrounding air without supplemental oxygen.
- **Follow-up care:** Appointments and services after discharge, which may include the primary care professional, neonatology, ophthalmology, audiology, developmental specialists, or early-intervention services.
- **Early intervention:** Developmental services for eligible infants and young children who may benefit from support with movement, communication, feeding, learning, or other skills.
### Sources
- [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Glossary of Common Terms — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia](https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/newborn-infant-intensive-care-unit-niicu/neonatal-intensive-care-unit-glossary)
- [NICU Terminology & Dictionary — Lurie Children’s](https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/specialties-conditions/neonatology/resources/arriving-to-the-nicu/nicu-dictionary/)
- [Common Terminology — Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.wuth.nhs.uk/maternity-services/neonatal-care/common-terminology/)
- [Glossary — Arkansas Children’s NICU](https://www.archildrens.org/programs-and-services/neonatal-intensive-care-unit/resources/glossary)
- [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Terms to Know — Children’s Health](https://www.childrens.com/specialties-services/specialty-centers-and-programs/fetal-neonatal/resources/nicu-terms)
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