The following guidelines are a summary of the evidence presented in the 2015 International Consensus on Cardiopulmo nary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR).1,2 Throughout the online version of this publication, live links are provided so the reader can connect directly to systematic reviews on the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Scientific Evidence Evaluation and Review System (SEERS) website. These links are indicated by a combination of letters and numbers (eg, NRP 787). We encourage readers to use the links and review the evidence and appendices. These guidelines apply primarily to newly born infants transitioning from intrauterine to extrauterine life. The recommendations are also applicable to neonates who have completed newborn transition and require resuscitation during the first weeks after birth.3 Practitioners who resuscitate infants at birth or at any time during the initial hospitalization should consider following these guidelines. For purposes of these guidelines, the terms newborn and neonate apply to any infant during the initial hospitalization. The term newly born applies specifically to an infant at the time of birth.3 Immediately after birth, infants who are breathing and crying may undergo delayed cord clamping (see Umbilical Cord Management section). However, until more evidence is available, infants who are not breathing or crying should have the cord clamped (unless part of a delayed cord clamping research protocol), so that resuscitation measures can commence promptly. Approximately 10% of newborns require some assistance to begin breathing at birth. Less than 1% require extensive resuscitation measures,4 such as cardiac compressions and medications. Although most newly born infants successfully transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life without special help, because of the large total number of births, a significant number will require some degree of resuscitation.3 Newly born infants who do not …

### Newborn Transition The transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life that occurs at the time of birth requires timely anatomic and physiologic adjustments to achieve the conversion from placental gas exchange to pulmonary respiration. This transition is brought about by initiation of air breathing and cessation of the placental circulation. Air breathing initiates marked relaxation of pulmonary vascular resistance, with considerable increase in pulmonary blood flow and increased return of now-well-oxygenated blood to the left atrium and left ventricle, as well as increased left ventricular output. Removal of the low-resistance placental circuit will increase systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure and reduce right-to-left shunting across the ductus arteriosus. The systemic organs must equally and quickly adjust to the dramatic increase in blood pressure and oxygen exposure. Similarly, intrauterine thermostability must be replaced by neonatal thermoregulation with its inherent increase in oxygen consumption. Approximately 85% of babies born at term will initiate spontaneous respirations within 10 to 30 seconds of birth, an additional 10% will respond during drying and stimulation, approximately 3% will initiate respirations after positive-pressure ventilation (PPV), 2% will be intubated to support respiratory function, and 0.1% will require chest compressions and/or epinephrine to achieve this transition.1–3 Although the vast majority of newborn infants do not require intervention to make these transitional changes, the large number of births worldwide means that many infants require some assistance to achieve cardiorespiratory stability each year. Newly born infants who are breathing or crying and have good tone immediately after birth must be dried and kept warm so as to avoid hypothermia. These actions can be provided with the baby lying on the mother’s chest and should not require separation of mother and baby. This does not preclude the need for clinical assessment of the baby. …

OBJECTIVES: To examine the variation in the incidence and to identify the timing of the presentation of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a cohort of preterm infants within the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN).METHODS: This was a population-based cohort of 16 669 infants with gestational age (GA) <33 weeks, admitted to 25 NICUs participating in the CNN between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2008. Variations in NEC incidence among the participating NICUs for the study period were examined. We categorized early-onset NEC as occurring at <14 days of age and late-onset NEC occurring at ≥14 days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for early-onset NEC.RESULTS: The overall incidence of NEC was 5.1%, with significant variation in the risk adjusted incidence among the participating NICUs in the CNN. Early-onset NEC occurred at a mean of 7 days compared with 32 days for late-onset NEC. Early-onset NEC infants had lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, patent ductus treated with indomethacin, less use of postnatal steroids, and shorter duration of ventilation days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that greater GA and vaginal delivery were associated with increased risk of early-onset NEC.CONCLUSIONS: Among infants <33 weeks’ gestation, NEC appears to present at mean age of 7 days in more mature infants, whereas onset of NEC is delayed to 32 days of age in smaller, lower GA infants. Further studies are required to understand the etiology of this disease process.