Premature and critically ill newborns may need surgery soon after birth to treat birth defects or abnormalities. Neonatal surgery is a surgical sub-specialty of pediatric surgery that consists of the surgical care of newborn infants, especially ill or premature newborn infants.
Neonatal surgeons often perform corrective surgeries, including chest, abdominal, and urological defects.
Treatment often begins before a baby is born. The Pediatric Surgeons will meet with expecting families to counsel them about abnormalities that may have been discovered during a prenatal screening. In some instances, steps can be taken to treat babies while they are still in the womb, offering them the best chance for a healthy start.
The moment an abnormality is detected during the antenatal examination / ultrasound one must consult the pediatric surgeon. Some conditions will require intervetion immediately after the baby is born. Hence the delivery should be planned in a hospital with specialised neonatal intensive care unit.