After the Apgar test, there are a few other tests performed soon after birth.  The baby is weighed and his head, chest circumference and length are measured.  His temperature is also taken.  The breathing and heart rate will be recorded because this provides a baseline for the healthcare professional.  Other procedures are performed shortly after birth.  This includes the injection of a vitamin K shot and the administration of Erythromycin Ointment to your baby’s eyes.  The administration of an injection of vitamin K is also routinely performed after birth.  Since some blood coagulation factors are missing in the newborn's blood because of the lack of vitamin K synthesis, a coagulation deficiency persists after birth.  This is the rationale for the administration of vitamin K.  The United States mandates the administration of Erythromycin ointment or an agent with the same properties be instilled in the eyes of a newborn as a precaution against ophthalmia neonatorum.  This is an inflammation of the eyes from gonorrheal or chlamydia infections.  This condition is very serious and can cause blindness.

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In the United States, newborn screening is regulated differently from state to state.  All 50 states screen for congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia, and phenylketonuria (PKU).  These tests are performed to look for genetic, developmental, and metabolic disorders that require immediate action. These conditions are rare but it is essential that they are caught early.

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Two to three of every 1,000 babies in the United States are born deaf or hard-of-hearing.  Without a newborn hearing screen, it is difficult to determine if there is a hearing loss in the first months and years of a baby's life.  Half of the children with hearing losses have no risk factors.  The hearing test can detect possible losses in hearing within the first few days after a baby's life.  This enables early intervention for services available to babies and their families to help with communication skills.

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