Stabilisiation and resuscitation of term neonates after birth: Based on the current European Resuscitation Council (ERC) 2021 guidelines

Abstract

The resuscitation of a neonate with the need for ventilation, chest compressions and the administration of drugs is an extremely rare event that repeatedly challenges even neonatal teams. It is precisely in these rare and often dramatic situations that rapid and prudent team action is required. The most effective and usually the only necessary measure for the successful resuscitation of a neonate who is not breathing spontaneously is sufficient mask ventilation. If ventilation is performed effectively, chest compressions are rarely necessary in the neonate. In March 2021, the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) published the new guidelines for neonatal resuscitation. Based on these guidelines, this article describes in detail the course of action outlined in the algorithm for the stabilisation and resuscitation of term neonates. On the one hand, it is aimed at non-neonatologists who are responsible for the care of term neonates after birth. On the other hand, it is also intended to support those who train medical personnel in the care of life-threatened neonates and teach the algorithm of neonatal resuscitation as a didactic concept.