Bruising and Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can cause bruising or bleeding. Whether it happens depends on the type and dose of chemotherapy you're getting.

Apnea of Prematurity

Apnea is a term that means breathing has stopped for more than 20 seconds. It can happen in full-term babies, but it is more common in premature babies. The more premature the baby, the greater the chances that apnea will occur.

Low Birth Weight

Low birth weight is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams). An average newborn usually weighs about 8 pounds. A low-birth-weight baby may be healthy even though they are small. But a low-birth-weight baby can also have many serious health problems.

Intravenous (IV) Line and Tubes

Because most babies in the NICU are too small or sick to take milk feedings, medicines and fluids are often given through their veins or arteries.

Hypocalcemia in the Newborn

Hypocalcemia is when a person doesn't have enough calcium in the blood. In babies, it’s called neonatal hypocalcemia. Your baby can get it at different times and from different causes.

Hyperbilirubinemia in the Newborn

Hyperbilirubinemia happens when there is too much bilirubin in your baby’s blood. Bilirubin is made by the breakdown of red blood cells. It’s hard for babies to get rid of bilirubin. It can build up in their blood, tissues, and fluids.

Hydrops Fetalis

Hydrops fetalis is severe swelling (edema) in an unborn baby or a newborn baby. It is a life-threatening problem.

Very Low Birth Weight

Very low birth weight is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces. It is very rare that babies are born this tiny. Only about 1 in 100 babies born in the U.S. are very low birth weight.