EARLY DISCHARGE OF THE NEWBORN BABY

Key words: Early discharge, Newborn care

The practice of early discharge of the newborn baby has become more common, due to the needs for cost containment and in response to the demand for demedicalisation of childbirth. Family paediatricians are concerned about the potential risks for the health of newborn babies linked to this practice. The available studies in fact do not provide any evidence for increased health risks, with the exception of term newborns discharged earlier than 30 hours after birth. The crucial point remains the timeliness and quality of clinical follow-up, particularly to ensure early detection of danger signs and advice for feeding problems.