Perinatal medicine and neonatal medicine deal with the diseases and disorders of the newborn. Perinatal refers to the time just before and just after birth, while neonatal refers to the time after the baby is born. A neonatal-perinatal physician has special training, knowledge and skills to treat illness and premature birth of infants. The neonatal or perinatal physician specialist may be a pediatrician, and may consult with an obstetrician to help with a patient who has a higher-than-normal risk for pregnancy complications. The neonatal physician’s level of expertise is in patient care and improving the health of newborns.