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Infants born before 28 weeks' gestation account for approximately 75% of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Late-onset sepsis (LOS) affects around 25% of these infants and is associated with an increased risk of adverse long-term outcomes. The topical application of coconut oil has been used for centuries in newborn care. Coconut oil is rich in saturated fatty acids, several of which have demonstrated antimicrobial properties. It is considered safe for extremely preterm infants, improves skin condition and may reduce the incidence of LOS.
Preterm birth is increasingly recognised as adversely influencing lifelong lung function. This Series paper on prematurity-associated lung disease reviews studies reporting longitudinal lung function measurements in individuals who were born preterm. Evidence suggests that preterm birth alters lung function trajectories from early life onwards, with implications for future respiratory morbidity. We propose that this population needs rigorous follow up that should include systematic monitoring of lung function across the lifespan, starting in childhood.
Antibiotic exposure in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is high. This study describes antibiotic use in very preterm infants and examines the association between duration of exposure and outcomes in blood culture negative (CN) infants.
Monkeypox virus (MPXV) has been linked to vertical transmission, but systematic data are scarce. We aimed to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and virological characteristics and assess the frequency and determinants of adverse outcomes in pregnant women with MPXV clade I infection.
Preterm infants are commonly treated with antibiotics on admission to the neonatal unit as part of routine care. We aimed to identify infants <32 weeks' gestation at low risk of early-onset sepsis (EOS) in whom antibiotics could be safely withheld.
Preterm birth is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, particularly due to lung disease. Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have the highest rates of preterm birth. Infants born extremely preterm rarely survive, so the largest burden is amongst moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) infants. The long-term health impact on MLP children in LMIC is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of MLP birth on lung function trajectories from birth to 5 years in the Drakenstein Child Health Study.
Skin care for very and extremely preterm infant is an important and previously underappreciated topic. Coconut oil skin care for preterm infants is a promising option, but several important questions remain including the theoretical potential for allergic sensitization.
High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is an established mode of respiratory support in the neonatal intensive care unit. Large clinical trial data is based on first intention use in preterm infants with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Clinical practice has evolved from this narrow population. HFOV is most often reserved for term and preterm infants with severe, and often complex, respiratory failure not responding to conventional modalities of respiratory support.
The structure and function of infant skin is not fully developed until 34 weeks of gestation, and this immaturity is associated with risk of late-onset sepsis (LOS). Topical coconut oil improves preterm-infant skin integrity and may reduce LOS. However, data on early-life skin-microbiome succession and potential effects of emollient skin care in preterm infants are scarce.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains the most common complication of preterm birth with lifelong consequences. Multiple BPD definitions are currently used in daily practice. Uniformity in defining BPD is important for clinical care, research and benchmarking. The aim of this Delphi procedure is to determine what clinicians and researchers consider the key features for defining BPD.