Mandated Newborn Procedures by the Midwife - Memory Anchors
For the PRC Midwifery Board Exam, you need to remember exact doses, timing windows, legal references, and sequences — all under pressure. This collection uses mnemonics, vivid analogies, micro-stories, and visual associations to wire these facts permanently into long-term memory. The brain remembers stories, emotions, images, and humor far better than plain lists. Every anchor here is designed to trigger instant recall during the exam. Use these tools actively: say them aloud, draw them, teach them to a classmate, and your pass rate will soar.
Memory anchors
EINC / Unang Yakap Four Core Steps in Order
Memory aid
Remember: 'DESK' — D = Dry (30 seconds), E = Embrace (skin-to-skin), S = Snip the cord (delayed, 1–3 min after pulsations stop), K = Keep together for breastfeeding (within 90 min). Imagine a midwife at her DESK organizing the four most important things she must do for every newborn.
Why it works
Acronyms compress a 4-step sequence into a single, instantly retrievable word. DESK is a familiar, concrete object every student knows.
Example usage
Exam question: 'What is the correct sequence of EINC core steps?' Think DESK — Dry, Embrace, Snip cord, Keep together. List them in order.
Recall trigger
Think: 'What does the midwife do at her DESK right after birth?'
EINC 'Do Not Do' List — no routine suctioning, no early bathing, no separation, do not wipe vernix
Memory aid
Remember: 'No SSBS' — No Suction (routine), No Separation, No Bath (early), No Scrubbing off vernix. Say it as 'NO S-S-B-S' (no sister bothers the skin). Picture a strict lola (grandmother) guarding the baby: 'Huwag! No SSBS!'
Why it works
Negative mnemonics are powerful because exam questions often test what NOT to do. Associating it with a memorable Filipino grandmother figure creates an emotional hook.
Example usage
If the question asks 'Which action violates EINC protocol?' — run through SSBS: suctioning routinely, separating mother and baby, bathing early, scrubbing off vernix. The answer will match one of these.
Recall trigger
Imagine a strict lola blocking the door and saying 'No SSBS!'
APGAR Score — five signs and their scoring (0, 1, 2)
Memory aid
A = Appearance (color), P = Pulse (heart rate), G = Grimace (reflex), A = Activity (muscle tone), R = Respiration. Remember the scores with: 'APGAR checks if a baby is ALIVE' — 0 = nothing, 1 = something, 2 = perfect. Visualize a doctor named 'Dr. APGAR' checking five baby features on a clipboard.
Why it works
The APGAR acronym is well-known but students often mix up what each letter stands for. Anchoring each letter to a clinical image reinforces both the letter and the meaning simultaneously.
Example usage
Question: 'A newborn has: body pink extremities blue, HR 90, grimace only, some flexion, slow irregular cry. What is the APGAR?' Score: A=1, P=1, G=1, A=1, R=1 = APGAR 5. Moderately depressed.
Recall trigger
Think 'Dr. APGAR checks the baby' and list the five features.
APGAR Score Interpretation: 7–10 normal, 4–6 moderate, 0–3 severe
Memory aid
Think of a Filipino school grading system: 75 and above = passing (normal baby, score 7–10). Below 75 but not failing = needs tutoring (moderately depressed, score 4–6). Failed = needs intervention now (severely depressed, score 0–3). Just like a student's grade tells the teacher how to respond, APGAR tells the midwife how to respond.
Why it works
Anchoring clinical scores to a familiar Filipino school grading experience makes abstract numbers meaningful and personally relevant.
Example usage
Exam: 'An APGAR of 3 at 1 minute means?' Think: 3 = failing = severely depressed = needs active resuscitation and referral.
Recall trigger
Think 'APGAR is like a school grade — passing, needs help, or failing?'
Vitamin K1 Dose: 1 mg IM for term, 0.5 mg IM for preterm/LBW under 1.5 kg
Memory aid
Remember: '1 for TERM, half for SMALL' — or rhyme it: 'One for the BIG, half for the small, vastus lateralis for them all!' The number 1 looks like a full-term big healthy baby standing straight up. The 0.5 is like a half-sized baby — preterm and small.
Why it works
Rhymes encode information through rhythm and music-like patterns, making them sticky. The visual image of the numbers as baby sizes reinforces the dose-size relationship.
Example usage
Exam: 'A preterm baby weighing 1.3 kg is born. What Vitamin K dose?' Think: small baby under 1.5 kg = 0.5 mg IM. Site = vastus lateralis.
Recall trigger
Rhyme: 'One for the big, half for the small, vastus lateralis for them all!'
Newborn Screening — RA 9288, heel-prick, ideal timing 24–72 hours
Memory aid
Story: 'Si Baby Nena was born at the RHU lying-in. Her midwife, Ate Rosa, told the family: RA 9-2-8-8 means we check EIGHT disorders from NENA's heel. But we wait until she is at least 24 hours old — her first full day of life — so the results are accurate. We have until 72 hours (3 days). Ate Rosa is LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE to make sure this is done.' The name NENA = 9288 sounds like the law number rhythmically.
Why it works
Micro-stories create a narrative with characters, making abstract legal numbers and timeframes emotionally memorable. Filipino names make it culturally resonant.
Example usage
Exam: 'When is the ideal time for newborn screening?' Think of Baby Nena — the midwife waits for her 24th hour but no later than 72 hours. Answer: 24–72 hours after birth.
Recall trigger
Think 'Baby Nena's heel, 24–72 hours, RA 9288'
Newborn Screening Disorders Panel — key disorders to remember
Memory aid
Remember: 'CH CAG PM' (sounds like 'cha-chag pem') = Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH), Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), Galactosemia (GAL), Phenylketonuria (PKU), Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), G6PD deficiency. Or use the phrase: 'Can Happy Children Get Perfect Marks?' — C=CH, H=hypothyroidism (Congenital), C=CAH, G=Galactosemia, P=PKU, M=MSUD and G6PD.
Why it works
Acronyms and memorable phrases reduce a list of six complex disorder names into a simple phrase. The positive Filipino parental aspiration (children getting perfect marks) adds emotional relevance.
Example usage
Exam: 'Which disorder screened under RA 9288 causes irreversible intellectual disability if untreated?' Answer: Congenital Hypothyroidism — C, the first letter of 'Can.'
Recall trigger
Think: 'Can Happy Children Get Perfect Marks?'
Congenital Hypothyroidism — most important screened disorder, causes intellectual disability, treated with thyroxine
Memory aid
Imagine a baby's brain is like a newly planted rice seedling (palay). Thyroid hormone is like the fertilizer (pataba). Without pataba, the palay will never grow tall — it stays small and stunted PERMANENTLY. If you give pataba early enough (early thyroxine), the palay grows normally. Congenital hypothyroidism = no fertilizer from birth. Newborn screening = checking the soil before the crop is ruined.
Why it works
Rice farming is a deeply familiar Filipino metaphor. The irreversibility of stunted growth maps perfectly onto the irreversibility of intellectual disability from untreated CH.
Example usage
Exam: 'Why is newborn screening especially important for congenital hypothyroidism?' Because if untreated, it causes permanent intellectual disability; early thyroxine (pataba) prevents it entirely.
Recall trigger
Think 'Brain palay needs thyroid pataba — screen early or it's too late.'
Newborn Hearing Screening — RA 9709, OAE/AABR, before discharge or within 1 month, 3 months latest
Memory aid
Story: 'Si Kuya RA 9-7-0-9 (nine-seven-oh-nine) invented a tiny EAR machine (OAE/AABR) and said: EVERY baby must be tested before going home or within their first MONTH of life (3 months at the very latest). If I catch hearing loss at 6 months, we can still save their speech!' Remember: 9709 → 9 + 7 = 16 → think of the ear canal. Or simply: RA 97-09 = hearing (97 rhymes with 'ear bye' in Filipino slang).
Why it works
Personifying the law as a character (Kuya RA) makes the legal number and its requirements into a narrative. The 6-month intervention window becomes a plot detail the student remembers.
Example usage
Exam: 'What law mandates newborn hearing screening?' RA 9709. 'When?' Before discharge or within 1 month, 3 months latest. 'What method?' OAE or AABR.
Recall trigger
Think 'Kuya RA 9709 and his tiny ear machine — test before discharge!'
Eye Prophylaxis — erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment, both eyes, inner to outer canthus, do not irrigate
Memory aid
Visualize squeezing a tiny red toothpaste tube (erythromycin = red/rosy color, like 'erythro' which means RED in Greek) from the INNER corner (near the nose) sweeping OUT to the outer corner of each eye. Then imagine a 'NO WATER' sign on the baby's face — do NOT wash it out. The red toothpaste stays. Red = erythromycin. Sweep in, don't rinse.
Why it works
Visual association links the drug name to a color image (erythro = red) and a physical gesture (sweeping motion). The 'No Water' sign prevents the common error of irrigating the eyes afterward.
Example usage
Exam: 'After applying eye prophylaxis, the midwife should?' Do NOT irrigate the eyes. The ointment remains in the conjunctival sac.
Recall trigger
Visualize red toothpaste from inner to outer corner — no rinsing.
Dry Cord Care — keep clean and dry, apply nothing, diaper below cord stump
Memory aid
Rhyme: 'The cord must be DRY, never apply — no alcohol, no rub, no dye! Fold the diaper LOW and let air flow. In 5 to 15 days, away it goes!' This covers: dry cord care, no topical applications, diaper positioning, and normal separation time.
Why it works
Rhymes leverage phonological memory — the rhythmic pattern encodes multiple facts simultaneously and is easy to recall under stress.
Example usage
Exam: 'What is the correct cord care after delivery?' Dry cord care — clean and dry, apply nothing, fold diaper below the stump, separates in 5–15 days.
Recall trigger
Sing the cord rhyme: 'The cord must be DRY, never apply...'
Omphalitis Danger Signs — redness, foul discharge, swelling around cord
Memory aid
Remember: 'RFS Alert!' — R = Redness around the cord base, F = Foul-smelling discharge, S = Swelling of the periumbilical area. If you see RFS, it's an alarm — REFER! 'RFS = Return Fast, Susmariosep! (Holy cow, this is serious!)'
Why it works
The Filipino exclamation 'Susmariosep' (a cultural expression of shock) adds emotional weight to the danger sign, making it memorable and emphasizing the urgency to refer.
Example usage
Exam: 'A mother calls about her 5-day-old baby's cord. What findings would prompt immediate referral?' RFS — Redness, Foul discharge, Swelling = omphalitis → refer immediately.
Recall trigger
Think: 'RFS — Return Fast, Susmariosep!'
Normal Newborn Vital Signs — RR 40–60/min, HR 120–160/min, Temp 36.5–37.5°C, Weight 2,500–4,000 g
Memory aid
Chunk it as '40-60 / 120-160 / 36.5-37.5 / 2500-4000' and remember the phrase: 'Forty to sixty breaths, One-twenty to one-sixty beats, Thirty-six point five to thirty-seven point five degrees, Two-point-five to four kilos.' Note the PATTERN: RR doubles to get lower HR limit (40 x 3 = 120). Or think: RR is in the 'forties and fifties' like a slow commuter bus; HR is 'highway speed' (120–160).
Why it works
Chunking groups related numbers together. The bus/highway analogy creates a familiar Filipino transport image that links the two most commonly confused values.
Example usage
Exam: 'A newborn has RR of 35/min. Is this normal?' Recall: normal RR = 40–60. 35 is below the slow bus range = tachypnea or bradypnea? 35 is bradypnea (slow) → note and monitor, possible referral.
Recall trigger
Think 'slow bus (RR) vs highway (HR)' — forties/fifties vs hundreds.
Delayed Cord Clamping — 1 to 3 minutes, after cord pulsations stop, improves iron stores
Memory aid
Imagine the umbilical cord as a SIPHON tube pumping the last drops of premium gasoline (iron-rich blood) from the placenta tank into the baby's gas tank (body). If you cut the tube too early, the baby's tank is only half full. Wait 1–3 minutes — let every last drop of 'premium iron fuel' flow in before clamping. A baby with full iron stores won't get anemia at 4–6 months.
Why it works
The gasoline/fuel analogy makes the physiological benefit of delayed cord clamping tangible and logical. The 'premium fuel' image emphasizes the value of iron-rich placental blood.
Example usage
Exam: 'When should the cord be clamped under EINC protocol?' After pulsations stop, at 1–3 minutes. Reason: maximizes transfer of iron-rich blood to the newborn.
Recall trigger
Think 'let the fuel flow — 1 to 3 minutes before clamping.'
The Golden Minute — first 60 seconds priority: establish breathing, resuscitate if not breathing
Memory aid
Story: 'In a barangay lying-in, Midwife Tessie delivered a baby who wasn't crying. She felt her heart race — she had only ONE GOLDEN MINUTE. No time for APGAR scores, no time for Vitamin K, no time for eye drops. She immediately dried, positioned, cleared the airway, and started bag-mask ventilation while shouting for help and arranging emergency transfer. The golden coin was ticking — 60 seconds to save a life.' The lesson: breathing FIRST, everything else SECOND.
Why it works
A dramatic narrative with a named Filipino midwife character in a realistic setting creates vivid emotional memory. The urgency of the story reinforces the time-sensitive priority.
Example usage
Exam: 'A newborn is delivered and is not breathing. What is the midwife's first action?' Dry, position, clear airway, stimulate — if still not breathing, bag-mask ventilation within the golden minute (first 60 seconds). Arrange referral.
Recall trigger
Think: 'Midwife Tessie's Golden Minute — breathing first, everything else second.'
Thermoregulation — four mechanisms of heat loss: evaporation, conduction, convection, radiation
Memory aid
Remember: 'ECCE' (Latin for 'behold', also used in Filipino Catholic culture as 'Ecce Homo') — E = Evaporation (wet body), C = Conduction (cold surface), C = Convection (cold air drafts), E = Radiation (heat radiating to cold walls/objects). Picture the Ecce Homo image of a suffering exposed baby losing heat four ways — a powerful Filipino religious memory hook.
Why it works
Using a culturally significant Filipino Catholic image (Ecce Homo) creates an emotionally charged visual anchor. The acronym ECCE matches the four heat loss mechanisms perfectly.
Example usage
Exam: 'Placing a newborn on a cold metal surface causes heat loss by which mechanism?' C = Conduction. 'A wet newborn loses heat by?' E = Evaporation.
Recall trigger
Think 'ECCE — four ways a newborn loses heat.'
Normal axillary temperature 36.5–37.5°C; hypothermia below 36.5°C
Memory aid
Visualize a Filipino comfort food thermometer: 36.5 is the perfect 'malamig-mainit' (just right, like samalamig drink at the right temperature). Below 36.5 = too cold, baby is like ice candy — that's hypothermia. Above 37.5 = too hot, like burning arroz caldo — that's fever. The safe zone is between 36.5 and 37.5 — the 'masarap na temperatura.'
Why it works
Food-based analogies are deeply familiar in Filipino culture. Mapping temperature to beloved Filipino food experiences creates personal, emotionally resonant memory tags.
Example usage
Exam: 'A newborn has an axillary temperature of 36.2°C. How do you classify this?' Below 36.5°C = hypothermia. Intervene with skin-to-skin (Kangaroo Mother Care), recheck, and refer if it doesn't correct.
Recall trigger
Think 'samalamig at 36.5, arroz caldo at 37.5 — baby's safe zone in between.'
BCG and Hepatitis B birth dose — given within 24 hours of birth
Memory aid
Rhyme: 'BCG and Hep B, before the first day ends — twenty-four hours max, on these two the health of baby depends!' Or simply: 'BCG-HepB in 24 — they're the first shots at the door.' Picture a security guard at the birth room door giving two shots to every baby leaving — the door is 24 hours.
Why it works
Rhymes and visual metaphors compress a timing rule and two drug names into a memorable, rhythmic unit. The 'door' image anchors the 24-hour deadline spatially.
Example usage
Exam: 'Which vaccines are given as part of the mandated newborn package within 24 hours?' BCG and Hepatitis B birth dose.
Recall trigger
Think: 'BCG-HepB — two shots at the 24-hour door.'
Meconium — vigorous baby = proceed with EINC; non-vigorous = do not wait, resuscitate
Memory aid
Think of a meconium-stained baby as a student who took a messy exam. If the student is AWAKE AND ANSWERING (vigorous — crying, good tone, HR ≥ 100), the teacher just wipes the pen marks off and continues the exam (proceed with EINC, no suctioning). But if the student COLLAPSES (not breathing, limp), you don't care about the mess — you call the nurse and do CPR NOW. The mess (meconium) is secondary to the emergency.
Why it works
The student/exam analogy maps the clinical decision perfectly onto a familiar academic scenario. The emotional shift from 'normal messy day' to 'emergency' reinforces when to act vs. proceed normally.
Example usage
Exam: 'Meconium-stained amniotic fluid, baby is crying and has good tone. What does the midwife do?' Vigorous = proceed with EINC. No routine suctioning.
Recall trigger
Think: 'Messy student — awake = proceed, collapsed = resuscitate NOW.'
Midwife's Legal Responsibility under RA 9288 — attendant is legally responsible for ensuring newborn screening is done and parents are informed
Memory aid
Story: 'Midwife Lorna delivered Baby Jose at the BHS. She forgot to tell the parents about newborn screening and the baby was never tested. At age 2, Baby Jose was diagnosed with untreated congenital hypothyroidism — severe intellectual disability. Lorna faced a PRC complaint. RA 9288 is clear: the BIRTH ATTENDANT is legally responsible. Lorna learned the hard way: INFORM and ENSURE, always.' This is a cautionary story every midwife must remember.
Why it works
Stories with consequences (legal, ethical, patient harm) are powerfully memorable because they activate emotional and moral reasoning centers of the brain, not just rote memory.
Example usage
Exam: 'Under RA 9288, who is responsible for ensuring newborn screening is performed?' The birth attendant (in community settings, the midwife). The midwife must inform parents and ensure the sample is taken.
Recall trigger
Think: 'Baby Jose, Midwife Lorna, RA 9288 — the attendant is legally responsible.'
Revision game
I am the first step of EINC. I happen in the first 30 seconds. I prevent hypothermia and stimulate breathing. What am I?
Answer
Immediate and thorough drying of the newborn
Memory link
A1 — DESK acronym: D = Dry
I am a number between 7 and 10 on a famous scale. I mean the baby is doing great. Which scale and what does my range mean?
Answer
APGAR score 7–10 = good/normal newborn adaptation
Memory link
A4 — APGAR Filipino school grading analogy
I am the RA number that makes newborn screening mandatory in the Philippines. I was passed in 2004. What number am I?
Answer
RA 9288 — Newborn Screening Act of 2004
Memory link
A6 — Baby Nena micro-story
I am a red ophthalmic ointment applied from inner to outer corner of the eyes. The midwife must never wash me off. What am I?
Answer
Erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment for eye prophylaxis
Memory link
A10 — Red toothpaste visual association
I am a 60-second window after birth that determines whether a non-breathing baby survives. What am I called?
Answer
The Golden Minute — the first 60 seconds for newborn resuscitation
Memory link
A15 — Midwife Tessie Golden Minute micro-story
I am the law that says every newborn must have their ears tested before leaving the hospital or within their first month of life. What RA am I?
Answer
RA 9709 — Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 2009
Memory link
A9 — Kuya RA 9709 micro-story
I am the screened disorder that causes permanent intellectual disability if untreated, but early thyroxine prevents this entirely. What disorder am I?
Answer
Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH)
Memory link
A8 — brain palay and thyroid pataba analogy
I stand for Redness, Foul discharge, and Swelling around the umbilical cord stump. I am a danger sign that means the midwife must refer. What am I?
Answer
RFS — signs of Omphalitis
Memory link
A12 — RFS Alert mnemonic
Formula mnemonics
Vitamin K1 dose: 1 mg IM (term) / 0.5 mg IM (preterm or LBW < 1.5 kg), site = vastus lateralis
Mnemonic
'One for TERM, HALF for small, vastus lateralis for them ALL!' — 1 = term baby (big), 0.5 = half dose for half-sized preterm baby
When to use
Every newborn immediately after birth (after drying and skin-to-skin) to prevent Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB)
What each part means
1 mg = full dose for normal term newborn; 0.5 mg = half dose for preterm or low birth weight under 1.5 kg; IM = intramuscular injection; vastus lateralis = anterolateral thigh, the safest IM site in newborns
Newborn Screening Timing: Ideal = 24–72 hours; earliest = 24 hours; if before 24 h = repeat at 2 weeks
Mnemonic
'24 to 72 — that's the window true! Before 24 is too early, after 72 you'll have to redo!' The 24 is the FLOOR and 72 is the CEILING of the ideal window.
When to use
For all newborns under RA 9288; particularly important when deciding timing at BHS/lying-in with early discharge
What each part means
24 hours = minimum age for accurate results (avoids false positives especially for CAH/17-OHP); 72 hours = upper limit of ideal window; if done before 24 h = results may be inaccurate, mandatory repeat by 2 weeks
APGAR Score: each of 5 signs scored 0–2; total = 0–10; assess at 1 min and 5 min
Mnemonic
APGAR = Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration. 'All Perfect Gives All Right' (each word = A, P, G, A, R). Max = 10 (5 signs x 2 each). '7-10 Go, 4-6 Slow, 0-3 No-Go' (Go=normal, Slow=moderate, No-Go=severe)
When to use
At 1 minute and 5 minutes after every birth; repeat every 5 min up to 20 min if depressed. NOTE: Do not wait for APGAR to begin resuscitation — resuscitate based on breathing and HR.
What each part means
A=Appearance/color (0=blue-pale, 1=body pink extremities blue, 2=all pink); P=Pulse/HR (0=absent, 1=<100, 2=≥100); G=Grimace/reflex (0=none, 1=grimace, 2=cry); A=Activity/tone (0=limp, 1=some flexion, 2=active); R=Respiration (0=absent, 1=slow irregular, 2=good cry)
Normal Newborn Vitals: RR = 40–60/min; HR = 120–160/min; Temp = 36.5–37.5°C; Weight = 2,500–4,000 g; LBW = < 2,500 g
Mnemonic
'40-60 breaths, 120-160 beats, 36.5-37.5 heat, 2500-4000 baby neat.' LBW is any baby under 2.5 kg = Less than BIG Weight.
When to use
During initial newborn assessment and every subsequent check; deviation from normal range = note, monitor, and refer as appropriate
What each part means
RR = respiratory rate, counted for full minute; HR = heart rate/pulse; Temp = axillary (armpit) temperature; Weight = birth weight; LBW = low birth weight threshold for special care
Quick recall chains
EINC Four Core Steps in Order (Unang Yakap)
Recall test
Without looking: Name the 4 EINC core steps in order. What does each letter of DESK stand for? What is the timing for cord clamping? When must the first breastfeed begin?
Memory chain
Use DESK: 'The midwife sits at her DESK: Dry the baby, Embrace skin-to-skin, Snip the cord (after 1–3 min), Keep together for feeding.' Imagine the midwife arriving at work, sitting at her DESK, and going through D-E-S-K in order. Each letter is one action she does for every newborn.
Items to remember
- 1. Immediate and thorough drying (first 30 seconds)
- 2. Early skin-to-skin contact
- 3. Properly timed cord clamping (1–3 minutes, after pulsations stop)
- 4. Non-separation for early breastfeeding (within 90 minutes)
Complete Mandated Newborn Procedures — Sequence from Birth to Discharge
Recall test
Without looking: List all 10 steps in order. What two injections are given within 24 hours? When is the heel-prick done? What is done LAST before discharge?
Memory chain
Story chain: 'Dry and check (APGAR) → Skin-to-skin hug → Wait for cord, then cut → Baby crawls to breast → Inject the K → Paint the eyes red (erythromycin) → Weigh and measure → Two shots at the 24-hour door (BCG + HepB) → Prick the heel at sunrise (24 h) → Listen to the ears before going home.' Think of it as 10 steps of a baby's first day — from birth cry to homecoming.
Items to remember
- 1. Dry and assess (APGAR, breathing)
- 2. Skin-to-skin and warmth (bonnet, warm cloth)
- 3. Delayed cord clamping (1–3 min) and cord care
- 4. Support first breastfeed (within 90 min)
- 5. Vitamin K1 IM (vastus lateralis)
- 6. Eye prophylaxis (erythromycin 0.5%)
- 7. Weigh, measure, full head-to-toe exam
- 8. BCG + Hepatitis B birth dose (within 24 h)
- 9. Newborn screening heel-prick (24–72 h)
- 10. Hearing screening (before discharge or within 1 month)
APGAR Score — Five Signs in Order with Scoring
Recall test
Cover the list. What does each letter of APGAR stand for? What score = normal? What score = severely depressed? Should you wait for the 1-min APGAR before starting resuscitation? (Answer: NO)
Memory chain
Use 'All Perfect Gives All Right' for A-P-G-A-R. Then for scoring: 0 = NOTHING, 1 = SOMETHING, 2 = PERFECT. So for each sign: 0=nothing there, 1=half there, 2=perfect. 'Nothing, Something, Perfect — for all five signs of Dr. APGAR's clipboard.'
Items to remember
- A = Appearance/Color: 0=all blue/pale, 1=body pink extremities blue, 2=all pink
- P = Pulse/Heart Rate: 0=absent, 1=<100/min, 2=≥100/min
- G = Grimace/Reflex: 0=none, 1=grimace, 2=cry/cough/sneeze
- A = Activity/Tone: 0=limp, 1=some flexion, 2=active motion
- R = Respiration: 0=absent, 1=slow/irregular/weak cry, 2=good strong cry
Newborn Screening Panel — Six Core Disorders (RA 9288)
Recall test
Without looking: Name all 6 core disorders screened under RA 9288. Which one causes intellectual disability if untreated? What is the treatment? (Thyroxine for CH)
Memory chain
Phrase: 'Can Happy Children Get Perfect Marks?' C=CH (Congenital Hypothyroidism), H=CAH (Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia — 'happy' because adrenals make you energetic), C=CAH wait no — use: 'CHarming Children GALlop PKU-tting G6PD-riving MSUD-enly' → CH, CAH, GAL, PKU, G6PD, MSUD. Or simpler memory hook: 'CH-CAH-GAL PKU-G6PD-MSUD' said as 'cha-chag-gal pee-koo-jee-em-sud' — a nonsense word you repeat aloud until it sticks.
Items to remember
- 1. Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH)
- 2. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
- 3. Galactosemia (GAL)
- 4. Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- 5. G6PD Deficiency
- 6. Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
EINC Do-Not-Do List (What the Midwife Must AVOID)
Recall test
Without looking: List 5 things the midwife should NOT do under EINC. Which of these is most commonly tested in the MLE? (Routine suctioning and early bathing are most common distractors.)
Memory chain
Remember 'No SSBS + no V' (No Suction, no Separation, no Bath early, no Scrubbing off vernix, no foot-print before Skin-to-skin). Or use the strict lola image: 'Lola blocks the door and shouts NO SSBS!' — the V (vernix) is the white coating on the baby that Lola says is 'gatas ng langit' (heavenly milk) — don't wipe it off!
Items to remember
- Do NOT suction routinely (only if airway obstructed or not breathing)
- Do NOT bathe early (delay bath at least 6 hours, ideally 24 hours)
- Do NOT separate mother and baby
- Do NOT wipe off vernix
- Do NOT do foot-printing before skin-to-skin
Diagrams
EINC Unang Yakap — Mandated Newborn Procedures Flowchart
A comprehensive flowchart showing the complete sequence of mandated newborn procedures from birth to discharge, including the critical decision point for non-breathing babies, timing of each procedure, and legal requirements under RA 9288 and RA 9709.
Mandated Newborn Procedures — Complete Concept Map
A comprehensive mind map showing all major topics in Mandated Newborn Procedures, organized as branches from the central concept. Use this for big-picture review and to see how all procedures connect. Each branch corresponds to a memory anchor in this set.
Newborn Care Timeline — From Birth to First Month
A timeline showing the precise timing windows for every mandated newborn procedure from birth through the first month of life. This is a high-yield MLE visual — timing errors are a common source of wrong answers. Use this to memorize which procedure happens when.
Meconium-Stained Delivery — Decision Flowchart
A decision flowchart for managing a meconium-stained delivery. The key branch point is whether the baby is vigorous or not. Vigorous = proceed with EINC. Not vigorous = emergency resuscitation within the Golden Minute. This is a high-yield MLE scenario.