Resuscitation of the newborn

A newborn baby has innate reserves to withstand the physiological stress of labour and delivery. These reserves can become depleted and for a small proportion of newborns, assistance is required to aid transition from placental to extra-uterine pulmonary respiration. The compromised newborn arrest is a respiratory arrest and for the vast majority of those needing assistance with the transition, simple airway support manoeuvres will suffice. This article outlines the cascade of evidence-based interventions that include and follow on from airway support in those newborns requiring ongoing assistance. These comments are based around the International Liaison Committee of Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2010 and 2015 Consensus on Science statements and subsequent guideline reviews.