What is the U1 examination?
The U1 examination is a short but important examination. It is performed directly after delivery in the delivery room and primarily checks whether the child can adapt to life outside the womb. In total, the U1 examination takes no more than ten minutes.
The birth is very stressful not only for the mother, but also for the infant. As soon as it leaves the birth canal, the baby has to adapt to the new environment: It has to breathe on its own and is no longer supplied by the mother’s circulation. During the U1 examination, the doctor checks whether the baby is able to cope with this new situation or whether there is an adaptation disorder.
What is done at the U1 examination?
The U1 examination is the first examination immediately after birth.
Examination of the general state of health
APGAR score
The doctor also assesses the newborn’s breathing, heartbeat, reflexes, muscle tension and skin color. From this, he calculates the so-called APGAR score, which reflects the child’s ability to adapt to the new environment. If it is too low, this often indicates a lack of oxygen, which must be treated immediately.
After five and ten minutes, the doctor determines the APGAR score again. To rule out oxygen deficiency with certainty, the doctor takes a blood sample from the umbilical cord and measures its oxygen content. The doctor sucks out any amniotic fluid that the infant may have swallowed during birth with a thin catheter and checks that the nose and esophagus are clear.
Vitamin K prophylaxis
They therefore routinely receive two milligrams of vitamin K during the U1 examination. The doctor drips vitamin K drops into their mouths. Babies are also given the coagulation-promoting vitamin again at U2 and U3. Later, they receive enough of it through food.
The doctor injects the vitamin K into the muscle of very light premature and sickly babies. Although this is more uncomfortable for the child, it is also more effective.
In the past, there have been concerns that vitamin K increases the risk of leukemia and other childhood tumors. However, recent studies on this topic give no indication of this.
Measuring and weighing
After the midwife has weighed the baby and measured its body length and head circumference, the U1 is over.
