Important advisory statement

This compendium discusses treatments and drug therapies in both mothers and their babies during the perinatal period. It remains the responsibility of the treating clinician, relying on experience and knowledge, to determine dosages and the appropriateness of treatment in their patient. While every effort has been made to check the veracity of the information in this compendium, neither the publisher nor those responsible for compiling this edition assume any responsibility for the consequences of any remaining inaccuracy, or for any injury and/or damage to persons or property. The drugs included in this compendium are predominantly those in current use in neonatal units in the United Kingdom; however, recent updates have increasingly attempted to reflect international practice. Omission should not be taken to imply criticism of a drug’s usefulness, neither should inclusion necessarily be seen as a recommendation. Indeed, several products are mentioned specifically to alert clinicians to some of the uncertainties or limitations associated with use in infancy. Personal preference and experience must inevitably influence prescribing practice, and in neonatal practice, more than any other branch of medicine, it is better to use a limited number of carefully evaluated and widely used drugs knowledgeably than to use drugs with which the prescriber is not fully familiar.