Introduction
The World Health Organization recommends focusing attention on the neonatal period, eliminating mortality from preventable causes, and providing quality care. It is essential to know which conditions have a high probability of occurring in that population in order to monitor them systematically, detect them early, and provide timely treatment and rehabilitation.
Objectives
Synthesize the recommendations contained in Directrices de práctica clínica basadas en la evidencia para el seguimiento de recién nacidos en riesgo [Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Monitoring At-risk Newborns], published in Spanish in 2020 by the Pan American Health Organization’s Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women's Health, and Reproductive Health, with a view to producing strategies for monitoring at-risk newborns from birth up to the age of 2 years
Methods
The guidelines and recommendations were synthesized and a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Lilacs, Health Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos, and gray literature for studies carried out in the Region of the Americas with a view to identifying barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies.
Results
A total of 21 recommendations and 14 good practices were formulated for application to newborns with at-risk conditions (prematurity and congenital or acquired conditions) up to 2 years of age. The barriers identified as standing in the way of their implementation were insufficient availability of screening tests, deficiencies in the referral system, and lack of awareness of the recommendations
Conclusions
The guidelines include recommendations for discharge criteria, screening, and frequency of monitoring for at-risk newborns up to 2 years of age in the Region of the Americas, as well as information and support for parents and caregivers