Timeline of Neonatology Information for Parents, Residents, Students and Teachers

This timeline lists prominent names, accomplishments, and events in the history of newborn medicine. There is no central organizing principle except for some relationship to the care of fetuses and neonates. Occasionally, events are included from mainstream medicine or science if they have a significant impact on the work of caregivers for infants.

Note: The dates on the timeline have been gleaned from a variety of sources and are correct to the best of our knowledge, but you should always refer to primary sources for academic purposes. Corrections and suggestions for additions for this timeline are welcome. Please send email about this timeline to webmaster@neonatology.org.

Year	Person	Event
715-673 BC		Oldest reference to Caesarean section (Roman Law of Numa Pompilius)
98-138 AD	Soranus of Ephesus	Greek physician, practiced in Rome, wrote on midwifery and newborn care, influential into the 15th century
500's		Marble cradle for foundlings at Trèves
1200's		Hospital for foundlings, Pope Innocent III
1400's		Newborns have a soul
1500's		Handbooks for midwives, based on translations of Soranus
1538	Henry VIII	Establishment of Bills of Mortality
1650	Chamberlen	Invention of obstetric forceps
1662	Graunt	Analysis and publication of Bills of Mortality
1670	Louis XIII	Royal edict creates l'Hôpital des Enfants-Trouvés
1691	Ruysch	First report of clinical entity now known as Hirschsprung's Disease
1733	Calder	First case report of duodenal atresia
1741	Coram	Opening of the Foundling Hospital, London
1753	Roederer	First publication of correct average birthweight and length
1769		Opening of the Dispensary for the Infant Poor, London
1780	Chaussier	First use of oxygen (O2) in newborns
1788	Hezekiah Beardsley	First description of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis of infancy
1795		Opening of the l'Hospice des Enfants-Trouvés at the Maternité, Paris (later known as l'Hospice des Enfants-Assistés)
1797		First description of Transposition of the Great Vessels
1802		Opening of the Hôpital des Enfants-Malades in Paris, first children's hospital
1802	Heberden	Published description of hydrocephalus in infants
1803	Hey	First successful surgical closure of omphalocele
1810		Use of le Tour d'abandon (tower of desertion) in France.
1814		Founding of Paris Maternité
1821	La Jumeau	First public demonstration of fetal heart rate auscultation
1834	Blundell	First description of endotracheal intubation for newborn resuscitation
1835	von Rühl	First known use of "warming tub" (Wärmewanne) St Petersburg
1836		Birth registration mandatory in England
1839	Frolich	First description of prune-belly syndrome
1847		First use of ether anesthesia in obstetrics
1851	Marchant	First report of gavage feedings for infants
1852	West	Founding of Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, the first children's hospital in English-speaking countries
1854		Founding of first American children's hospitals: New York Nursing and Child Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
1857	Denucé	First published description of incubator in western literature
1861	Little	Cerebral palsy (CP) described and linked to birth trauma and asphyxia
1870		Beginning of the Infant Welfare Movement
1879	Credé	AgNO3 for ophthalmia neonatorum
1880	Tarnier	Introduction of "couveuse" (Tarnier-Martin closed incubator, thermisphon) at Paris Maternité
1880	Winckel	Trials of the "permanent water bath" for prematures, Dresden
1882	Biedert	Heat treatment of milk for 2 hrs at 100 degrees C. for artificial feeding
1883	Auvard	Introduction of Tarnier-Auvard single-infant incubator (warm water in stoneware containers), Paris Maternité
1884	Tarnier	Gavage feedings
1888	Hirschsprung	First description of pyloric stenosis
1888	Fallot	First description of association of ventribular septal defect, right ventricular infundibular stenosis, aortic valve overriding the right ventricle, and right ventricular hypertrophy (now known as Tetralogy of Fallot, or TOF)
1889	Tarnier	First use of oxygen (O2) for prematures
1891	Bonnaire	First description in literature of oxygen (O2) for premature infants (used by Tarnier in 1889)
1891	Lion	Establishment of the "Baby Infant Charity" in Nice (later in Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lyons, and then Paris)
1891	Lion	Thermoregulated incubator, later manufactured by Paul Altmann in Berlin
1891	Rotch	Rotch portable incubator, Boston
1892	Budin	Establishment of the "Consultations de Nourrissons"
1893	Henry	Pavilion of Weaklings at the Paris Maternité
1894	C. W. Townsend	Description of "hemorrhagic disease of the newborn"
1894		First "milk depots"
1896	Lion	Opening of the Oeuvre Maternelle de Couveuses d'Enfants, Paris
1896	Couney (?)	Incubator baby exhibit at the Berliner Gewerbe-Ausstellung
1897	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at Victorian Era Exhibition at Earl's Court, London
1897	Eisenmenger	Described congenital heart disease association of ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary hypertension, left to right shunt, and overriding aortic valve, this became known as Eisenmenger's Complex
1898	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at Trans-Mississippi Exposition, Omaha, Nebraska
1899	Joseph B. DeLee	First incubator station in the United States at Chicago Lying-In Hospital
1899	Ahlfeld	First successful treatment of omphalocele by painting sac with alcohol
1900	Budin	Publication of "Le Nourrisson" [The Nursling] in France
1900	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at the World Exhibition, Paris
1901	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, New York
1902	Heidenhain or Aue	First successful repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia
1903-1933(?)	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at Coney Island
1904	Zahorsky	Incubator baby sideshow at Louisiana Purchase Exposition and World's Fair, St. Louis
1906	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at Lewis and Clark Exhibition, Portland, Oregon
1907	Budin	Publication of "The Nursling" [Le Nourrisson] in England, translation by Maloney
1908	Carrel	First transfusion for hemorrhagic disease of the newborn
1908		Chicago mandates pasteurization of milk
1908	Garrod	Description of "inborn errors of metabolism" and their inheritance according to Mendel's Laws
1909		Founding of the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria Haus, Berlin, center for teaching and research in the prevention of newborn mortality
1911	Hess	Electrically heated, water-jacketed open infant bed
1911		"Baby Tents of Chicago"
1912	Blackfan	Device for collection of blood in newborns
1912	Ramstedt	First successful treatment of pyloric stenosis with pyloromyotomy
1913	Richter	Transthoracic ligation of tracheoesophageal fistula
1914	Hess	Incubator unit at Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago
1915		Incubator baby sideshow at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco
1915	Helmholtz	Intravenous infusions and blood collection from the longitudinal sinus
1916	Ernst	First successful surgical repair of congenital duodenal atresia
1919	Sidbury	Transfusion through the umbilical vein for hemorrhagic disease of the newborn
1920's		Births in hospitals increase from 5% to 60% in large US cities
1922	Hess	Premature station at Sarah Morris Hospital
1922	Hess	Publication of "Premature and Congenitally Diseased Infants," first American textbook on prematurity
1922	Hess	First transport incubator for newborns
1925	Hart	First exchange transfusion for erythroblastosis fetalis
1928	Fleming	Discovery of Penicillin
1930		Founding of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
1932	Diamond, Blackfan, Batty	Hydrops fetalis, icterus gravis, and anemia of the newborn unified as "erythroblastosis fetalis"
1933		Founding of the American Board of Pediatrics for specialty certification
1933	Louis W. Sauer	First use of pertussis vaccine in the United States
1933-1934		Incubator baby sideshow at Century of Progress International Exhibition, Chicago
1934	Hess	Modified electrically heated incubator for O2 administration
1934		Dionne Quintuplets
1934	Følling	Discovery of phenylketonuria (PKU)
1934		First dedicated transport vehicle for newborns, Chicago
1935		American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) defines prematurity as BW < 2500 gm
1935		Clinical use of sulfa drugs
1936	Abbott	Publication of "Atlas of Congenital Heart Disease"
1936	H. Dam	Discovery of "Koagulations Vitamin" (Vitamin K)
1937	W. W. Waddell	Vitamin K treatment of coagulation abnormalities of the newborn
1938	Charles Chapple	Design of modern infant incubator (prototype of Isolette) in Philadelphia
1938	Andersen	Meconium ileus linked to cystic fibrosis
1938	Gross and Hubbard	Successful ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), Boston
1939	Runge	Clinical description of "dysmaturity" related to placental dysfunction
1939-1940	Couney	Incubator baby sideshow at New York World's Fair
1940	A. Cournand and D. Richard	Cardiac catheterization for diagnosis of congenital heart disease
1941	Karl Landsteiner and Philip Levine	Discovery of the Rh factor
1941	Gregg	Congenital cataracts related to Rubella epidemic
1941	Clifford	First clinical recognition of retrolental fibroplasia (RLF)
1941	Haight	First successful primary anastomosis of tracheoesophageal fistula
1942	Florey and Chain	First clinical use of Penicillin
1942	Terry	First published description of RLF
1942	Louis K. Diamond	Link established between Rh isoimmunization and erythroblastosis fetalis
1943	Alfred Blalock & Helen Taussig	First "blue baby" operation for Tetralogy of Fallot (Blalock-Taussig or BT shunt)
1944	Miller and Olney	Angiocardiography for infants with congenital heart disease
1944	Haight & Towsley	Successful repair of esophageal atresia
1944	Willi	Description of "malignant enteritis of the first three months of life"
1945	Craaford and Nylin	Successful surgical repair of Coarctation of the Aorta described
1946	Louis K. Diamond	Exchange transfusion via umbilical vein as treatment for erythroblastosis fetalis
1946	Clement A. Smith	Publication of "The Physiology of the Newborn Infant," first American textbook of neonatology
1946	Ehrenpreis	First diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease in neonates
1946		Hill-Burton Act, federal aid for construction of hospital facilities
1946		First randomized controlled trial in humans (efficacy of streptomycin for tuberculosis, England).
1947	Taussig	Publication of "Congenital Malformations of the Heart"
1947		First report of polyethylene catheters used for exchange transfusion through the umbilical vein
1947		Modern Isolette (based on Chapple Incubator) first shown publicly
1948		WHO defines prematurity as BW < 2500 gm
1948		First edition of "Standards and Recommendations for Hospital Care of Newborns" published by the Committee on Fetus and Newborn of the American Academy of Pediatrics
1948	Peller	First use of the term "perinatal"
1949		Use of DES to prevent miscarriage
1949	W. L. Bradford, Elizabeth Day, F. C. Morton	Triple vaccine for Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DPT vaccine)
1949		Birthweight and GA added to Standard Certificate of Live Birth in USA
1949		Cornell offers Institutes on Premature Infant Care for physicians and nurses
1949	Smith	Thirsting and starving of premature infants
1950	Bloxsom	Bloxsom Air Lock introduced
1951	Cambell	ROP first linked to O2 use
1952	Virginia Apgar	Apgar score for assessment of newborns
1952	Schmid & Quaiser	First clear description in the English literature of necrotizing entercolitis (NEC) as distinct clinical entity
1952	Patz	Initial trial, with some procedural defects, that linked excessive O2 to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
1953	Watson & Crick	Correct structure of DNA described in Nature
1953	Donald	Description of natural history of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and correlation with X-rays
1953		Detergent mist (Alevaire) for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1953	Love & Tillery	Sternal traction for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1953	Rickham	First neonatal surgical unit, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool
1953	Emerson	Invention of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV)
1953-1954		Controlled trial: excessive O2 leads to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Cooperative trial published by Kinsey in 1955. First randomized controlled trial in newborns.
1954	Pick	Clinical linkage between small term infant and placental insufficiency
1954	Clifford	Clinical description of "postmature" infant
1954	Jonas Salk	National randomized trial of inactivated polio vaccine
1954-1956		Increase in kernicterus due to use of prophylactic sulfa drugs
1955	Gleiss	Controlled trial: withholding fluid in immediate postnatal period not beneficial
1955		Controlled trial: detergent mist not beneficial
1956	Silverman	Controlled trial: sulfa drugs increase risk of kernicterus
1956	Dobbs, Cremer, Ward	Serendipitous observation of effect of sunlight on indirect bilirubin level
1956		Controlled trial: Bloxsom air lock is ineffective
1956	Tjio and Albert Levan	First publication of correct number of human chromosomes (46)
1957-1959	Hodgman	Gray-Baby Syndrome due to use of prophylactic chloramphenicol
1957	Albert Sabin	Development of attenuated virus polio vaccine (approved for general use in 1963)
1957		Commercial production of winged "scalp vein" needles for neonates
1957		Introduction of Thalidomide in Europe
1958	Silverman	Controlled trial: hypothermia leads to decreased survival
1958		Availability of modern intracatheter in several sizes
1958		First air transport of newborn, Denver, Colorado (DC-3)
1958	Cremer	First description of light effect on bilirubin levels, Lancet
1959	Mary Ellen Avery and Jere Mead	Surfactant deficiency is the cause of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1959	Jerome Lejeune	Trisomy 21 identified in Down's Syndrome
1959		Intravenous (IV) fluids for infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1959		First report of umbilical artery catheterization for blood gas sampling
1959	Usher	Glucose and bicarbonate drip for infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), later known as the Usher Regimen
1960		Rubeola vaccine
1960	Alexander Shaeffer	First use of terms "neonatologist" and "neonatology" in textbook (Diseases of the Newborn, Saunders, 1960)
1960-1961		Birth defects linked to Thalidomide
1961		WHO distinguishes low-birth-weight from prematurity
1962	Koop	First neonatal surgical intensive care unit in the USA at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia
1962	Saling	Fetal scalp blood sampling for pH
1962	Weller and Neva; Parkman, Buescher, and Artenstein	Isolation of the Rubella virus
1963	Liley	First report of intrauterine fetal transfusion
1963	Robert Guthrie	Newborn screening test for phenylketonuria (PKU)
1963		Patrick Bouvier Kennedy dies of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), 34 weeks gestation, birthweight 2100 gms.
1963	Lubchenco	Standard tables of weights, lengths, and head circumferences by gestational age based on Denver data. Introduction of concepts of AGA, LGA and SGA
1963	Mustard	Physiologic baffle repair for Transposition of the Great Vessels (Mustard Procedure)
1963	Liley	First published description of intrauterine transfusion of the fetus for hemolytic disease
1963-1964		Rubella epidemic in USA
1963	Maria Delivoria-Papadopoulos	First successful ventilation of a preterm infant with hyaline membrane disease (Assisted ventilation in terminal hyaline membrane disease. Arch. Dis. Child., 39:481-484, 1964)
1964	Stowe	Epsom salt enemas used as therapy for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1964	Eickhoff	First report of Group B streptococcus in neonatal sepsis
1965		First pediatric nurse practioner (PNP) training program at Univ. of Colorado
1965	Louis Gluck	First newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
1966	Usher et al	Physical characteristics for assessment of gestational age
1966	Rashkind and Miller	Technique of atrial septostomy developed (became rescue therapy for newborns with Transposition of the Great Vessels)
1966	Harry M. Meyer, Paul D. Parkman, Theodore C. Panos	Live attenuated rubella vaccine
1966	Victor Freda	Prevention of maternal Rh sensitization (and erythroblastosis fetalis) by anti-Rh antibody (RhoGam)
1967	Northway, Rosan & Porter	Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BDP) described
1967		First helicopter transport of newborn, Peoria, Illinois
1967	Guthkelch	Treatment of hydrocephalus with Holter Valve
1967	Hon and Quilligan	Description of three types of fetal heart rate decelerations
1967	Kantrowitz	First heart transplant in newborn, Brooklyn, New York
1968	Fontan	Fontan procedure for surgical palliation of functional single ventricle
1968		Commercial availability of fetal heart rate monitors (Corometrics)
1968	Amiel-Tison	Neurological assessment of gestational age
1968	Wilmore & Dudtrick	First published report of total intravenous nutrition of newborn
1969	Du and Oliver	First description of use of an open radiant warmer for newborns.
1969		Rubella vaccine released (live attenuated virus )
1969	Lucey	Controlled trial: phototherapy treatment of hyperbilirubinemia
1970		Publication of standardized techniques for umbilical artery catheterization
1970	Dubowitz	Gestational age scoring method based on combined physical and neurological characteristics
1970		First report of xenon arc photocoagulation for ROP
1971	Gregory	Use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1971	Gluck et al	Assessment of "pulmonary maturity" by amniocentesis (L/S ratio)
1971		AMA policy statement on regionalization of perinatal care
1972	Shannon et al	Description of hyperoxia test for cyanotic congenital heart disease
1972	Kirby	Intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) - BabyBird ventilator
1972		Controlled trial: antenatal glucocorticoids for prevention of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1972		Umbilical arterial lines enter routine use
1973	Jones, Smith, & Ulleland	Clinical description of the fetal alcohol syndrome
1973		Transcutaneous PO2 monitoring in newborns
1973	Klauss & Fanaroff	Publication of "Care of the High-Risk Neonate," 1st Edition
1974	Sharpe	Published observation that Indomethacin produces intense and persistent contraction of ductus arteriosus in vivo.
1974		Perinatology subspecialty certification begins (obstetrics)
1975		Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for infants becomes routine
1975		Neonatology subspecialty certification begins (pediatrics)
1975	Olley and Coceani	Prostaglandin E can maintain patency of ductus arteriosus
1975		First use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in infants
1976	Anderson, Nicholson, & Heird	Controlled trial: total parenteral nutrition in prematures
1976	Jatene	First successful arterial switch operation for Transposition of the Great Vessels
1979		Transcutaneous PCO2 monitoring in newborns
1979		Controlled trial: indomethacin treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in prematures
1979	Ballard	Simplified gestational age scoring system (modified Dubowitz)
1979		FDA approval of ritodrine hydrochloride for treatment of premature labor.
1980	Fujiwara	Description of surfactant as treatment for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1980		Description of high frequency ventilation
1980-85		Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in NICU graduates due to transfusions
1981	Greenberg	Endotracheal administration of epinephrine
1981	Harrison, UCSF	Successful fetal surgery for obstructive uropathy. Placement of a fetal urinary catheter (vesicoamniotic shunt) for posterior urethral valves.
1982		"Baby Doe" case, Trisomy 21 with esophageal atresia
1982	Gershanik	Adverse effects of benzyl alcohol
1983		Certification for neonatal nurse practitioners begins
1983		AAP and ACOG publish "Guidelines in Perinatal Care"
1983-1984		Intravenous vitamin E (E-Ferol) causes ascites, liver and renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and death in low birth weight infants
1984		Jet ventilators
1984	Bailey	"Baby Fae," first cross-species heart transplant in newborn at Loma Linda University Medical Center
1985		Controlled trial: Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in infants with respiratory failure
1985		Use of prophylactic penicillin reduces mortality of infants with sickle cell anemia, provides rationale for neonatal screening for hemoglobinopathies
1985		Controlled trial: cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
1985	David Smith and Porter Anderson	Polysaccharide vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB vaccine)
1985		"Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act"
1987		Pulse oximetry in newborns
1987		Neonatal resuscitation training program launched by AAP and AHA
1989	Harrison, UCSF	Successful open fetal surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
1990	Schaeffer	First report of partial liquid ventilation in prematures
1990	Harrison, UCSF	Successful fetal resection of congenital cystic adenomatous malformation of the lung (CCAM).
1990		High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) appears in commercial products
1990		FDA approval of surfactant therapy for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
1991	Ballard	New Ballard Score (NBS) for gestational age, extended for extremely premature infants <26 weeks gestation
1991	McNamara	Controlled trial: laser vs. cryotherapy for retinopahy of prematurity (ROP)
1992	Harrison, UCSF	Successful open fetal surgery for resection of sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT).
1992		AAP guidelines for chemoprophylaxis of Group B Streptococcus
1992		AAP recommends supine sleeping position for infants, followed by 30-40% reduction in incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
1994		Treatment of mothers with zidovudine reduces perinatal transmission of HIV to infants.
1994	Harrison, UCSF	NIH-sponsored clinical trial at UCSF for open repair of fetus with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
1996		CDC recommendations for Group B Strep screening and chemoprophylaxis
1996	Harrison, UCSF	Successful fetoscopic temporary tracheal occlusion for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
1997		FDA approval of nitric oxide for pulmonary hypertension in the newborn
1997		Controlled trial: nitric oxide for pulmonary hypertension in the newborn
1999	Harrison, UCSF	Successful fetoscopic laser treatment of a single A-V communication in twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
2000	Francis S. Collins and J. Craig Venter	Initial mapping of human genome complete
2001	Harrison, UCSF	NIH-sponsored clinical trial for temporary tracheal occusion of fetuses with severe left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Note: The dates on the timeline have been gleaned from a variety of sources and are correct to the best of our knowledge, but you should always refer to primary sources for academic purposes. Corrections and suggestions for additions for this timeline are welcome. Please send email about this timeline to webmaster@neonatology.org.

See also: American Pediatrics: Milestones at the Millenium from the AAP Historical Archives Advisory Committee, Pediatrics, June, 2001.