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Postpartum Tests and Newborn Care

1 September 2026

After birth, babies receive initial care from the medical team, are vaccinated, and undergo screening tests to diagnose various conditions and provide appropriate care. A newborn's body systems are not yet fully developed, so the vaccines and tests recommended by the Ministry of Health are intended to prevent illness and even death.

  • At 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth, your baby will undergo the Apgar test, which is used to assess their overall condition.
  • During the first hour, skin-to-skin contact is recommended. This involves placing the baby directly on bare skin, which transfers beneficial bacteria that contribute greatly to the newborn's health and helps regulate body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and even blood sugar levels.
  • Keeping the mother and baby together promotes the release of hormones that reduce pain for both the mother and the newborn.
  • Initial care includes the first weighing, eye drops, taking measurements including body temperature, and the first bath (optional).
  • A doctor will examine your baby, focusing on a physical examination, a red reflex eye test to detect congenital vision problems, a hip examination to detect dislocation or instability, and an examination of the baby's skin color.
  • Your baby will receive the first hepatitis B vaccine at the hospital.
  • If your baby was born between 9/1 and 3/31, they will receive the RSV vaccine (all other babies will be vaccinated at a Family Care Center).
  • Your baby will receive vitamin K, which is the only way to prevent bleeding caused by vitamin K deficiency.
  • Your baby will receive treatment to prevent eye infections in newborns using 0.5% erythromycin ointment.
  • Your baby will undergo a hearing screening test to detect hearing loss.
  • Your baby will undergo newborn screening tests for the early detection of endocrine, metabolic, and immunological disorders.

If you have any questions at any stage, before or after the tests and vaccinations, or about anything else, don't hesitate to ask the medical team.

After birth, your baby will receive initial care from the medical team, receive vaccinations, and undergo screening tests to diagnose various conditions and provide appropriate care.

The first hour after birth is called the "golden hour." It earned this name because skin-to-skin contact transfers beneficial bacteria to the baby that contribute greatly to the newborn's health. Babies are ready to breastfeed from the moment they are born and need skin contact, so it is important for your baby to be with you during this hour. Be sure to tell the medical team that you want skin-to-skin contact (unless you are unable to do so or your baby is not in stable condition).

Skin-to-skin contact involves placing the naked newborn directly on the bare skin of their mother, father, or another close person. This method has many benefits because it allows the newborn to make a more gradual and comfortable transition from life in the womb to life outside the womb. It helps the newborn regulate body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and even blood sugar levels.

Skin-to-skin contact also contributes to the mother's well-being and reduces pain by stimulating the release of endorphins in the mother. Staying together promotes the release of hormones that reduce pain in both the mother and the newborn. Studies have found that mothers who had skin-to-skin contact with their newborn after a cesarean section reported lower pain levels than those who did not. These mothers also needed less pain medication afterward.

At 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth, your baby will undergo the Apgar test, which is used to assess their overall condition.

What Initial Newborn Care Includes

Sometimes the newborn is weighed for the first time in the delivery room and may then be weighed again in the ward. The weights from the two measurements may not be identical, but it is important to know that any difference reflects the difference between the scales.

See the explanation below.

When the newborn arrives at the ward or at the mother's bedside, vital signs, including temperature, will be taken to make sure the body temperature is normal.

According to current scientific literature, it is recommended to wait 6 hours or even 24 hours after birth before the first bath, to give the newborn the time needed to stabilize in terms of blood sugar levels and body temperature. Studies show that bathing after 6 or 24 hours or more increases breastfeeding success rates. You can also give your baby their first bath at home. Read more about bathing your baby at home.

During the hospital stay, your baby will have at least one medical examination that includes:

  • Physical examination. The doctor will examine your baby to make sure everything is normal. This examination is also a good opportunity for you, the parents, to ask any questions you may have. During the examination, your baby will also have the following tests:
  • Red reflex eye test - this test is performed to detect congenital vision problems (read more about vision screening tests).
  • Hip examination This examination is performed to detect hip dislocation or instability. If you know of family members who had a hip dislocation as newborns and received treatment for it, it is important to tell the medical team because this information is important for follow-up.
  • Jaundice - the doctor will pay attention to your baby's skin color to check whether jaundice is developing. Read more about newborn jaundice.

In addition, there are certain situations in which further intervention by the newborn ward staff may be needed. The ward staff will update you and provide detailed information about the care required.

Important to Know

Important to Know

While you are still in the hospital, you should schedule an appointment at a Family Care Center for 2 days after you are discharged. If Family Care Center services in your area are provided by your HMO, contact your HMO's appointment scheduling service.

Schedule an appointment through the Family Care Center appointment scheduling service

Recommended Treatments for Newborns in the Hospital, According to Ministry of Health Recommendations

Eye Infection Prevention

During birth, babies are exposed to many bacteria that can infect their eyes. Some eye infections are caused by bacteria that can severely damage the eye, potentially causing blindness and even serious illness.

The Ministry of Health recommends a single dose of 0.5% erythromycin ointment. The treatment should be given shortly after birth, whether the baby is born vaginally or by cesarean section.

First Hepatitis B Vaccination

Hepatitis B is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and can cause acute or chronic disease. The active vaccine (a vaccine that triggers the body to respond and produce antibodies against the virus) is given after birth, followed by two additional doses at a Family Care Center, at 1 month and 6 months of age.

If the mother is a hepatitis B carrier or has hepatitis B, the baby will also receive passive immunization, which provides rapid immune protection (it contains antibodies against the virus). This is given by injection after exposure to the virus.

Read more about hepatitis B

RSV Vaccination

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common cause of respiratory illness in babies. It is mainly active in late fall and winter (November through March), and by age 2, almost all babies have been infected with it. The virus can be dangerous for preterm babies and babies with congenital heart and lung conditions.

Today, passive immunization (ready-made antibodies) against RSV is given in the hospital after birth, before the baby goes home. It is given to babies born between September 1 and March 31, during the RSV season.

NOTE

NOTE

Babies born between 1.4 and 31.8 – will be vaccinated in late summer and early fall, before the RSV season begins. The vaccine will be given during a routine visit to the Family Care Center.

Learn more about the RSV vaccine

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for normal blood clotting in the body and plays a key role in the production of blood clotting factors in the liver. When babies are born, they come from a sterile environment (without bacteria) and do not yet have the bacteria in their intestines needed to produce the vitamin. The main risk of vitamin K deficiency is hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. The only way to prevent this disease is by giving vitamin K as an intramuscular injection after birth. In Israel, as in most countries around the world, newborns are given an injection of 1 mg.

Good to know: Vitamin K has been a simple, lifesaving treatment for forty years, both worldwide and in Israel.

Learn more about vitamin K

Hearing Screening

Hearing loss is the most common sensory impairment in newborns. It is important to detect it as early as possible to ensure successful rehabilitation.

Studies have shown that early detection of hearing loss in newborns is essential for early rehabilitation and for minimizing the effects of congenital hearing loss. Hearing loss that is not treated in time can cause significant delays in a child's language, cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Important to know: Half of newborns with hearing loss have no known risk factors in advance.

All babies born in a hospital or brought to one shortly after birth, including babies with risk factors for hearing loss, should undergo a screening test to detect and diagnose hearing loss in newborns so that treatment can begin as early as possible. The tests are painless and do not cause babies any discomfort.

Learn more about the detection, diagnosis and treatment of hearing problems

Newborn Screening Tests

These tests are used for the early detection of endocrine, metabolic, and immunological diseases. 36 hours after birth and before discharge from the hospital, newborn screening tests are performed to detect relatively rare diseases that can cause severe damage to the body's organs, developmental delays, and even death. These diseases do not have clear clinical signs during the first few days of a baby's life and can be diagnosed through blood tests.

For the test, four drops of blood are taken from the newborn's heel and sent for testing at the Ministry of Health's central laboratory. The service is provided at no cost.

Important: Check the results, and if they indicate a problem, contact your doctor because it is important to repeat the tests and receive appropriate treatment.

To check your baby's results, go to the newborn screening test results system and enter the personal details.

If you have any questions at any stage, before or after the tests and vaccinations, or about anything else, do not hesitate to ask the medical staff.

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