Guidelines on Basic Newborn Resuscitation

Summary

Overview

Globally, about one quarter of all neonatal deaths are caused by birth asphyxia. In this document, birth asphyxia is defined simply as the failure to initiate and sustain breathing at birth. Effective resuscitation at birth can prevent a large proportion of these deaths. The need for clinical guidelines on basic newborn resuscitation, suitable for settings with limited resources, is universally recognized. WHO has responded to this need by developing guidelines for this purpose that are contained in the document Basic newborn resuscitation: a practical guide. As this document is over a document was over a decade old, a process to update the guidelines on basic newborn resuscitation was initiated in 2009.