Minimal enteral nutrition.

Although parenteral nutrition has been used widely in the management of sick very low birth weight infants, a smooth transition to the enteral route is most desirable. Trophic feeding is the practice of feeding small volume of enteral feeds in order to stimulate the development of the immature gastrointestinal tract of the preterm infant. This practice has also been termed as minimal enteral nutrition (MEN).

Polycythemia in the newborn.

Polycythemia is defined as a venous hematocrit of over 65%. The hematocrit in a newborn peaks at 2 hours of age and decreases gradually after that. The etiology of polycythemia is related either to intra-uterine hypoxia or secondary to fetal transfusion.

Apnea in the newborn.

Apnea, defined as cessation of breathing resulting in pathological changes in heart rate and oxygen saturation, is a common occurrence especially in preterm neonates. It is due to immaturity of the central nervous system (apnea of prematurity) or secondary to other causes such as metabolic disturbances etc. Secondary causes of apnea should be excluded before a diagnosis of apnea of prematurity is made.