Newborn Health

• Breastfeeding
• Home Visiting
• Postpartum Depression
• Preconception Care
• Pregnancy and Beyond
• Publications

• SAFE-CARE Network
• Safe Sleep for Infants
• Shaken Baby Syndrome
• TEL-LINK
• Tobacco Cessation
• Vitamin K

A Healthy Newborn

Every newborn deserves the opportunity to grow and develop into a healthy child. That’s what newborn health is all about. Since a baby’s health is strongly linked to the mother’s health before pregnancy, newborn health begins preconceptionally, before getting pregnant. Additionally, nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned, so it is critical that all women capable of becoming pregnant maintain optimal health before, during and between pregnancies.

Screenings help to ensure your baby gets a healthy start in life. Newborn screenings protect infants from the dangerous effects of disorders that otherwise may not be detected for several days, months or even years. All babies born in Missouri are screened for more than 70 disorders, including hearing loss and critical congenital heart disease.