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PRACTICE UPDATES FOR MIDWIVES
Newborn Hearing Screening
Why screen for hearing loss? Only approximately 50% of hearing loss in children is traceable to risk factors such as family history of hearing loss, illness during pregnancy or birth complications. By not screening we miss 50% of all hearing impaired children. Click here for a full discussion from the Washington DOH and a handout that can be shared with parents.
Substance Abuse Screening in Pregnancy
Substance abuse during pregnancy has been identified as an issue critical to
the health of mothers and babies from all socioeconomic groups. It is estimated
that in Washington State, between 8,000 and 10,000 infants born each year are
exposed prenatally to illegal drugs or alcohol. Click here for the revised screening guidelines document from the WA DOH.
Managing Hepatitis B positive mothers and out of hospital birth
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a pregnant woman poses a serious risk to her infant at birth. Without postexposure immunoprophylaxis, approximately 40% of infants born to HBV-infected mothers in the United States will develop chronic HBV infection. Of that 40%, approximately one-fourth will eventually die from chronic liver disease or liver cancer.
Click here for a full discussion of the subject and additional resources.
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