NICUs, the birth of neonatology A premature infant receiving treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit. (more) Neonatology pediatrics Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/neonatology Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. neonatology - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Virginia Hunt Virginia Hunt is an Editorial Intern at Encyclopædia Britannica. She is a third year student at Northwestern University where she is majoring in journalism and biology with a minor in creative writing.... Virginia Hunt Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 25, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is neonatology? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Neonatology is the study of the care and treatment of newborn infants, especially those born prematurely or with birth complications. It is a subsection of pediatrics, with specialized training beyond that of a pediatrician." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " When was the term neonatology introduced? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The term neonatology was officially introduced in 1960 by Alexander Schaffer in his book on the subject." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What advancements have been made in neonatology since 1960? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Advancements in neonatology include the development of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), continuous electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) monitoring, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, interhospital transport systems, the use of surfactant for respiratory illnesses, and new methods for providing nutrition to premature infants." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the role of neonatologists today? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Neonatologists diagnose and treat a broad range of ailments, including heart disease, brain hemorrhage, and liver malfunction, and collaborate with perinatologists to focus on maternal and neonatal health." } } ] } Top Questions What is neonatology? Neonatology is the study of the care and treatment of newborn infants, especially those born prematurely or with birth complications. It is a subsection of pediatrics, with specialized training beyond that of a pediatrician.

　　When was the term neonatology introduced? The term neonatology was officially introduced in 1960 by Alexander Schaffer in his book on the subject.

　　What advancements have been made in neonatology since 1960? Advancements in neonatology include the development of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), continuous electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) monitoring, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, interhospital transport systems, the use of surfactant for respiratory illnesses, and new methods for providing nutrition to premature infants.

　　What is the role of neonatologists today? Neonatologists diagnose and treat a broad range of ailments, including heart disease, brain hemorrhage, and liver malfunction, and collaborate with perinatologists to focus on maternal and neonatal health.

　　Neonatology, the study of the care and treatment of newborn infants, especially those born prematurely or with birth complications. The field is a subsection of pediatrics, although the path to becoming a neonatologist involves additional specialized training beyond that required of a pediatrician. Although the specialty has roots as early as 600 bce, the term neonatology was popularized in 1960 by American pediatrician Alexander Schaffer (also spelled Shaffer or Schaeffer) in his book Diseases of the Newborn (1960), one of the cardinal pieces on the subject. Since then, neonatology has led to the significant advancement of neonatal intensive care units ...(100 of 536 words)

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