Final answer:
Neonatal conjunctivitis is a true condition, contracted by newborns during delivery, especially if the mother has certain sexually transmitted infections. Prophylactic antibacterial treatments are used to prevent potential severe outcomes, such as blindness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that neonatal conjunctivitis, also known as ophthalmia neonatorum, is a type of conjunctivitis and a neonatal infection contracted by newborns during delivery is true. Newborns are particularly at risk if their mothers have sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia.
The causative bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, can infect the conjunctiva of the newborn during passage through the infected birth canal. The incidence of such infections can have severe consequences such as corneal scarring and even permanent blindness if left untreated. To mitigate these risks, prophylactic antibacterial treatments, like the application of erythromycin cream or drops, are commonly administered to the infant's eyes soon after birth.