Criteria for hospital discharge of the healthy term newborn after delivery

Abstract Criteria for newborn hospital discharge have to include physiological stability and family competence to provide newborn care at home. In this document, the Committee of Standards of the Spanish Society of Neonatology reviews the minimum criteria to be met before hospital discharge of a term newborn infant. We include a review of hospital discharge criteria for the late preterm infants, as these infants are often not hospitalised and remain with their mother after birth. A shortened hospital stay (less than 48 h after delivery) for healthy term newborns can be considered, but it is not appropriate for every mother and newborn. Newborn infants discharged before 48 h of age, should be examined within 3–4 days of life.