Discovering apparent life-threatening events in the first 24 hours of birth: A case study

The benefits of early skin-to-skin contact and its role in the promotion of successful breastfeeding are widely known and well recognized. One rare but potentially devastating consequence is an apparent life-threatening event, or ALTE. A review of current literature reveals that an exact definition for an ALTE is vague, however several common themes emerge including a decrease in the level of consciousness of the neonate, loss of muscle tone, apnea and pallor/cyanosis. ALTEs are thought to occur most commonly in first time mothers and when the mother was not under direct observation by a healthcare provider. This paper examines the prevalence of ALTE's in the first 24 h of life and includes a case study of an ALTE that occurred at 50 min of life in a full-term neonate born to a primaparous mother who was holding her baby skin to skin.