The main signs of full-term newborn: description and features

Today we will list and briefly characterize the signs of full-term newborn. In addition, we will focus on issues of postponement or prematurity. How is it possible to determine by a child and how do children differ? What threatens this newborn?

For this reason, it is necessary to know not only the signs of full-term and maturity of the newborn, but also to be able to correctly diagnose, and to know about possible problems. If we consider the child as an object of childbirth, then this must be done based on the size of the head, as this is the most voluminous part of the fetal body that experiences the greatest difficulties while moving through the birth canal. Now we offer to talk in more detail about the signs of full-term newborn.

Full-term baby

What is fetal maturity? This is a certain condition of the child, which characterizes the willingness of the internal organs to ensure the life of the baby outside the womb. After the birth of a child, a neonatologist must mandatory examine.

The doctor needs to evaluate in three ways:

• determination of the full-term newborn baby, the signs of which we will consider in this section;
• assess the degree of physical development;
• morphological and functional maturity.

Which child is considered full-term? These signs include:

• term of birth - from thirty-eight to forty-two weeks;
• body weight should be more than two and a half kilograms;
• body length - from forty-six centimeters or more.

It is very important to note that there are a number of other signs of full-term infancy. We are talking about morphological and functional maturity. We will talk about this in more detail later. Summarizing all that has been said in this section, we can distinguish the main signs of full-term newborn infancy:

• gestational age;
• body mass;
• body length.

External signs

Let's start with the main signs that are visible to the naked eye. The first item on this list is a loud and demanding voice. The second - the skin in a newborn baby should be pink and velvety. Be sure to pay attention to the fact that the skin of the newborn should be clean, and the fat layer should be even. Third - the presence of an open large fontanel. However, according to statistics, in fifteen percent of cases open and small. The fourth external sign is the formation of the auricle, all arches should be clearly expressed. The fifth sign is that the navel is located in the center of the abdomen, the nail plates should completely cover the nail phalanges. The sixth sign is that girls have a closed genital fissure, and boys have testicles lowered into the scrotum.

Functional signs

In this section, we list the functional signs of full-term newborn infants. These may include the following:

• the limbs of the baby should be bent in the joints;
• movements are chaotic and quite active;
• children are characterized by increased muscle tone;
• body temperature is stable, deviations are possible within the normal range up to six tenths of a degree Celsius;
• the breathing of the newborn is also stable - from forty to sixty breaths per minute;
• the heartbeat is heard well, rhythmic (the norm is from one hundred twenty to one hundred and forty beats per minute);
• in a full-term child, all reflexes are symmetrical, it is possible to cause specific ones.

Specific reflexes of newborns:

• sucking;
• search;
• prehensile;
• proboscis and others.

Prematurity

Now we turn to the question of the criteria for prematurity, portability of the baby. A premature baby is born before the end of fetal development, that is, until the thirty-seventh week of pregnancy. Such babies have a small body weight, weight less than two and a half kilograms, and their growth does not reach forty-five centimeters. In newborns, there are problems with thermoregulation and a lack of response to external stimuli. It is important to note statistical information: such babies are born in about 10% of cases.

It is worth knowing that there is the term "extreme prematurity" if the baby is born for up to twenty-two weeks. This condition is the line between a miscarriage and a premature baby. Body weight in this case is a decisive factor: if it reaches half a kilogram, then this is a premature baby, and only one gram less - a miscarriage.

Prematurity is usually classified according to the body weight of the newborn.

The problems of prematurity can lie in both mom and dad, and in the baby. They are briefly listed in the table below.

Manifestation of prematurity

The signs of full-term, prematurity and tolerance of the newborn considered by us in the article are reflected in the behavior and development of the baby. We invite you to talk about how prematurity of newborns is manifested. Now we give a general clinical picture. Firstly, the newborn has an imbalance in the body (a very large head). In addition, the sutures of the skull are open, so the bones are malleable. Secondly, the auricles are soft. Third, the child is in a frog pose, as muscle hypotension is noted. The fourth sign is that the boys 'testicles have not yet descended into the scrotum, and the girls' large labia have not yet developed to the end. Fifth, specific reflexes are extremely weak. Sixth - shallow and weak breathing (up to 54), low blood pressure (about 55-65). Seventh - frequent urination and regurgitation.

Portability

What features does a newborn baby have? Signs of maternal tolerance should be diagnosed by a doctor using CTG and ultrasound. These symptoms include:

• lack of labor;
• reduction in abdominal circumference;
• rather large fruit;
• compaction of the skull of a child;
• meconium in the amniotic fluid;
• reduced glucose concentration in the amniotic fluid;
• urinalysis shows an underestimated level of estriol.

It is worth noting that there are two types of postponed pregnancy:

With true portability, the child is in serious danger, because hypoxia develops.

What are the causes of overload and how do they affect the baby?

How does a postponed pregnancy affect a baby? The baby has the following symptoms:

• thin body;
• dry and wrinkled skin;
• peeling on the skin;
• lack of grease;
• long nails and hair;
• open eyes;
• increased activity.

Please note that the skin in postponed newborns acquires a yellowish tint. To prevent a postponed pregnancy, it is very important to undergo a CTG procedure three times a week (after 40 weeks). The baby's heartbeat and movements will help determine exactly how the baby feels.

The causes of this phenomenon are unknown, but doctors distinguish two large groups:

Pay attention to the fact that there is a psychological factor. If the expectant mother is afraid of childbirth and is not psychologically ready for them, then the pregnancy may be delayed. In this case, you need the support of loved ones or the advice of a psychologist.

Differences between full-term and premature babies

A full-term baby has a number of features. He is ready to live outside the womb, has certain reflexes, the skin is able to maintain a certain temperature, the heart rate is stable, normal breathing and activity. A premature baby is the exact opposite: he is not ready for life outside the womb, is not able to maintain temperature, heart rate and breathing are unstable, low blood pressure, and reflexes of newborns are poorly developed.