Trends in Active Treatment of Live-born Neonates Between 22 Weeks 0 Days and 25 Weeks 6 Days by Gestational Age and Maternal Race and Ethnicity in the US, 2014 to 2020.

Importance: Birth in the periviable period between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days' gestation is a major source of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the decision to initiate active life-saving treatment is challenging. Objective: To assess whether the frequency of active treatment among live-born neonates in the periviable period has changed over time and whether active treatment differed by gestational age at birth and race and ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants: Serial cross-sectional descriptive study using National Center for Health Statistics natality data from 2014 to 2020 for 61 908 singleton live births without clinical anomalies between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days in the US. Exposures: Year of delivery, gestational age at birth, and race and ethnicity of the pregnant individual, stratified as non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic/Latina, and non-Hispanic White. Main Outcomes and Measures: Active treatment, determined by whether there was an attempt to treat the neonate and defined as a composite of surfactant therapy, immediate assisted ventilation at birth, assisted ventilation more than 6 hours in duration, and/or antibiotic therapy. Frequencies, mean annual percent change (APC), and adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) were estimated. Results: Of 26 986 716 live births, 61 908 (0.2%) were periviable live births included in this study: 5% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 37% Black, 24% Hispanic, and 34% White; and 14% were born at 22 weeks, 21% at 23 weeks, 30% at 24 weeks, and 34% at 25 weeks. Fifty-two percent of neonates received active treatment. From 2014 to 2020, the overall frequency (mean APC per year) of active treatment increased significantly (3.9% [95% CI, 3.0% to 4.9%]), as well as among all racial and ethnic subgroups (Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.4% [95% CI, 0.8% to 6.0%]); Black: 4.7% [95% CI, 3.4% to 5.9%]; Hispanic: 4.7% [95% CI, 3.4% to 5.9%]; and White: 3.1% [95% CI, 1.1% to 4.4%]) and among each gestational age range (22 weeks: 14.4% [95% CI, 11.1% to 17.7%] and 25 weeks: 2.9% [95% CI, 1.5% to 4.2%]). Compared with neonates born to White individuals (57.0%), neonates born to Asian/Pacific Islander (46.2%; risk difference [RD], -10.81 [95% CI, -12.75 to -8.88]; aRR, 0.82 [95% CI, [0.79-0.86]), Black (51.6%; RD, -5.42 [95% CI, -6.36 to -4.50]; aRR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.89 to 0.92]), and Hispanic (48.0%; RD, -9.03 [95% CI, -10.07 to -7.99]; aRR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.85]) individuals were significantly less likely to receive active treatment. Conclusions and Relevance: From 2014 to 2020 in the US, the frequency of active treatment among neonates born alive between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days significantly increased, and there were differences in rates of active treatment by race and ethnicity.

Short-term Music Therapy for Families With Preterm Infants: A Randomized Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate short-term effects of music therapy (MT) for premature infants and their caregivers on mother-infant bonding, parental anxiety, and maternal depression. METHODS: Parallel, pragmatic, randomized controlled-trial conducted in 7 level III NICUs and 1 level IV NICU in 5 countries enrolling premature infants (<35 weeks gestational age at birth) and their parents. MT included 3 sessions per week with parent-led, infant-directed singing supported by a music therapist. Primary outcome was mother-infant bonding as measured by the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) at discharge from NICU. Secondary outcomes were parents' symptoms of anxiety measured by General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and maternal depression measured by Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Group differences at the assessment timepoint of discharge from hospital were tested by linear mixed effect models (ANCOVA). RESULTS: From August 2018 to April 2020, 213 families were enrolled in the study, of whom 108 were randomly assigned to standard care and 105 to MT. Of the participants, 208 of 213 (98%) completed treatment and assessments. Participants in the MT group received a mean (SD) of 10 sessions (5.95), and 87 of 105 participants (83%) received the minimum of 6 sessions. The estimated group effect (95% confidence interval) for PBQ was -0.61 (-1.82 to 0.59). No significant differences between groups were found (P = .32). No significant effects for secondary outcomes or subgroups were found. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-led, infant-directed singing supported by a music therapist resulted in no significant differences between groups in mother-infant bonding, parental anxiety, or maternal depression at discharge.

Trends in neonatal intensive care unit admissions by race/ethnicity in the United States, 2008-2018.

To examine temporal trends of NICU admissions in the U.S. by race/ethnicity, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using natality files provided by the National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 38,011,843 births in 2008-2018 were included. Crude and risk-adjusted NICU admission rates, overall and stratified by birth weight group, were compared between white, black, and Hispanic infants. Crude NICU admission rates increased from 6.62% (95% CI 6.59-6.65) to 9.07% (95% CI 9.04-9.10) between 2008 and 2018. The largest percentage increase was observed among Hispanic infants (51.4%) compared to white (29.1%) and black (32.4%) infants. Overall risk-adjusted rates differed little by race/ethnicity, but birth weight-stratified analysis revealed that racial/ethnic differences diminished in the very low birth weight (< 1500 g) and moderately low birth weight (1500-2499 g) groups. Overall NICU admission rates increased by 37% from 2008 to 2018, and the increasing trends were observed among all racial and ethnic groups. Diminished racial/ethnic differences in NICU admission rates in very low birth weight infants may reflect improved access to timely appropriate NICU care among high-risk infants through increasing health care coverage coupled with growing NICU supply.

Temporal Trends of Acute Kidney Injury and Associated Risk Exposures in Extremely Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neonatal AKI in the preterm population is an under-recognized morbidity. Detecting AKI in preterm infants is important for their long-term kidney health. We aimed to examine the yearly trends of incidence and the related morbidities and care practices affecting the occurrence of neonatal AKI in extremely preterm (gestational age <29 weeks) and very preterm (gestational age 29-32 weeks) infants. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: The trends and the related risk factors and care practices of AKI were examined in the extremely preterm (n=434) and very preterm (n=257) infants who were admitted within 14 days after birth from 2005 to 2018 to the University Hospital and had at least two serum creatinine measurements during hospitalization. We defined AKI as a serum creatinine rise of 0.3 mg/dl or more within 48 hours or a 1.5-fold increase within 7 days. RESULTS: The extremely preterm group had a three-fold higher incidence of AKI (30% versus 10%) than the very preterm group. Among preterm infants with AKI, 92% had one episode of AKI, and 45% experienced stage 2 or 3 AKI; the mean duration of AKI was 12±9 days. Across the 14-year period, the crude incidence of AKI declined markedly from 56% to 17% in the extremely preterm group and from 23% to 6% in the very preterm group. After adjustment, a significant decline of AKI incidence was still observed in the extremely preterm group. The declining AKI in the extremely preterm infants was related to the trends of decreasing incidences of neonatal transfer, prolonged aminoglycoside exposure, prophylactic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a declining trend in the incidence of neonatal AKI among extremely preterm infants from 2005 to 2018, which may be related to improvement of care practices.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding rates in a neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To find out if the expressed breast milk delivery rate to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies who were hospitalized for any reason other than COVID-19, and exclusive breastfeeding (EB) rates between discharge date and 30th day of life of those babies were affected by COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Babies who were hospitalized before the date first coronavirus case was detected in our country were included as control group (CG). The study group was divided into two groups; study group 1 (SG1): the mothers whose babies were hospitalized in the period when mother were asked not to bring breast milk to NICU, study group 2 (SG2): the mothers whose babies were hospitalized after the date we started to use the informed consent form for feeding options. The breast milk delivery rates to NICU during hospitalization and EB rates between discharge and 30th day of life were compared between groups. RESULTS: Among 154 mother-baby dyads (CG, n=50; SG1, n=46; SG2, n=58), the percentage of breast milk delivery to NICU was 100%, 79% for CG, SG2, respectively (p<0.001). The EB rate between discharge and 30th day of life did not change between groups (CG:90%, SG1:89%, SG2:75.9; p=0.075). CONCLUSIONS: If the mothers are informed about the importance of breast milk, the EB rates are not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in short term, even if the mothers are obligatorily separated from their babies. The breast milk intake rate of the babies was lowest while our NICU protocol was uncertain, and after we prepared a protocol this rate increased.

The Effect of the No Pain Labor & Delivery-Global Health Initiative on Cesarean Delivery and Neonatal Outcomes in China: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of live births by cesarean delivery (CD) in China is significant, with some, particularly rural, provinces reporting up to 62.5%. The No Pain Labor & Delivery-Global Health Initiative (NPLD-GHI) was established to improve obstetric and neonatal outcomes in China, including through a reduction of CD through educational efforts. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a reduction in CD at a rural Chinese hospital occurred after NPLD-GHI. We hypothesized that a reduction in CD trend would be observed. METHODS: The NPLD-GHI program visited the Weixian Renmin Hospital, Hebei Province, China, from June 15 to 21, 2014. The educational intervention included problem-based learning, bedside teaching, simulation drill training, and multidisciplinary debriefings. An interrupted time-series analysis using segmented logistic regression models was performed on data collected between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2015 to assess whether the level and/or trend over time in the proportion of CD births would decline after the program intervention. The primary outcome was monthly proportion of CD births. Secondary outcomes included neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and extended NICU length of stay, neonatal antibiotic and intubation use, and labor epidural analgesia use. RESULTS: Following NPLD-GHI, there was a level decrease in CD with an estimated odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.87 (0.78-0.98), P = .017, with odds (95% CI) of monthly CD reduction an estimated 3% (1-5; P < .001), more in the post- versus preintervention periods. For labor epidural analgesia, there was a level increase (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 1.76 [1.48-2.09]; P < .001) and a slope decrease (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 0.94 [0.92-0.97]; P < .001). NICU admissions did not have a level change (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 0.99 [0.87-1.12]; P = .835), but the odds (95% CI) of monthly reduction in NICU admission was estimated 9% (7-11; P < .001), greater in post- versus preintervention. Neonatal intubation level and slope changes were not statistically significant. For neonatal antibiotic administration, while the level change was not statistically significant, there was a decrease in the slope with an odds (95% CI) of monthly reduction estimated 6% (3-9; P < .001), greater post- versus preintervention. CONCLUSIONS: In a large, rural Chinese hospital, live births by CD were lower following NPLD-GHI and associated with increased use of labor epidural analgesia. We also found decreasing NICU admissions. International-based educational programs can significantly alter practices associated with maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Trends in intensive neonatal care during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan.

The reduction in the use of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) during the COVID-19 outbreak has been reported, but whether this phenomenon is widespread across countries is unclear. Using a large-scale inpatient database in Japan, we analysed the intensive neonatal care volume and the number of preterm births for weeks 10-17 vs weeks 2-9 (during and before the outbreak) of 2020 with adjustment for the trends during the same period of 2019. We found statistically significant reductions in the numbers of NICU admissions (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR), 0.76; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.89) and neonatal resuscitations (aIRR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.55) during the COVID-19 outbreak. Along with the decrease in the intensive neonatal care volume, preterm births before 34 gestational weeks (aIRR, 0.71) and between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 gestational weeks (aIRR, 0.85) also showed a significant reduction. Further studies about the mechanism of this phenomenon are warranted.

Have outcomes following extremely preterm birth improved over time?

Increased survival of infants born preterm, especially those born extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestation), has meant that more are reaching later childhood and adulthood. As preterm birth is associated with a higher risk of neurodevelopmental deficits, the aim of this review was to determine whether or not the advances in perinatal care that led to improved survival have also had a positive impact on long-term neurodevelopment. Studies examining temporal changes in neurodevelopment are limited, and only from high-income countries. However, based on available published data, there is no definite trend of improved neurodevelopment at school age for neurosensory, cognitive, academic achievement, motor or executive function with time. Cerebral palsy rates, however, may be decreasing. More research is needed into the potential contributors for the trends observed, and also for other outcomes such as mental health and behavior.

Impact of the Revised NRP Meconium Aspiration Guidelines on Term Infant Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Seventh Edition changes on term infants born with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated the effect of no longer routinely intubating nonvigorous term infants born with MSAF in 14 322 infants seen by the resuscitation team from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017 in a large, urban, academic hospital. RESULTS: Delivery room intubations of term infants with MSAF fell from 19% to 3% after the change in guidelines (P = <.0001). The rate of all other delivery room intubations also decreased by 3%. After the implementation of the Seventh Edition guidelines, 1-minute Apgar scores were significantly more likely to be >3 (P = .009) and significantly less likely to be <7 (P = .011). The need for continued respiratory support after the first day of life also decreased. Admission rates to the NICU, length of stay, and the need for respiratory support on admission were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Seventh Edition recommendations against routine suctioning nonvigorous infants born with MSAF was temporally associated with an improvement in 1-minute Apgar scores and decreased the need for respiratory support after the first day of life. There was also a significant decrease in total intubations performed in the delivery room. This has long-term implications on intubation experience among frontline providers.

Care practices and neonatal survival in 52 neonatal intensive care units in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Indian government supports both public- and private-sector provision of hospital care for neonates: neonatal intensive care is offered in public facilities alongside a rising number of private-for-profit providers. However, there are few published reports about mortality levels and care practices in these facilities. We aimed to assess care practices, causes of admission, and outcomes from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in public secondary and private tertiary hospitals and both public and private medical colleges enrolled in a quality improvement collaborative in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh-2 Indian states with a respective population of 35 and 50 million. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a cross-sectional study between 30 May and 26 August 2016 as part of a baseline evaluation in 52 consenting hospitals (26 public secondary hospitals, 5 public medical colleges, 15 private tertiary hospitals, and 6 private medical colleges) offering neonatal intensive care. We assessed the availability of staff and services, adherence to evidence-based practices at admission, and case fatality after admission to the NICU using a range of tools, including facility assessment, observations of admission, and abstraction of registers and telephone interviews after discharge. Our analysis is adjusted for clustering and weighted for caseload at the hospital level and presents findings stratified by type and ownership of hospitals. In total, the NICUs included just over 3,000 admissions per month. Staffing and infrastructure provision were largely according to government guidelines, except that only a mean of 1 but not the recommended 4 paediatricians were working in public secondary NICUs per 10 beds. On admission, all neonates admitted to private hospitals had auscultation (100%, 19 of 19 observations) but only 42% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25%-62%, p-value for difference is 0.361) in public secondary hospitals. The most common single cause of admission was preterm birth (25%) followed by jaundice (23%). Case-fatality rates at age 28 days after admission to a NICU were 4% (95% CI 2%-8%), 15% (9%-24%), 4% (2%-8%) and 2% (1%-5%) (Chi-squared p = 0.001) in public secondary hospitals, public medical colleges, private tertiary hospitals, and private medical colleges, respectively, according to facility registers. Case fatality according to postdischarge telephone interviews found rates of 12% (95% CI 7%-18%) for public secondary hospitals. Roughly 6% of admitted neonates were referred to another facility. Outcome data were missing for 27% and 8% of admissions to private tertiary hospitals and private medical colleges. Our study faced the limitation of missing data due to incomplete documentation. Further generalizability was limited due to the small sample size among private facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest differences in quality of neonatal intensive care and 28-day survival between the different types of hospitals, although comparison of outcomes is complicated by differences in the case mix and referral practices between hospitals. Uniform reporting of outcomes and risk factors across the private and public sectors is required to assess the benefits for the population of mixed-care provision.

Neonatal end-of-life decision-making almost 20 years after the EURONIC study: A French survey.

Nearly 20 years ago the EURONIC study reported that French neonatologists sometimes deemed it legitimate to terminate the lives of newborn infants when the prognosis appeared extremely poor. Parents were not always informed of these decisions. Major change has occurred since then and is described herein. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey was conducted in the Île-de-France region, from 1 January to 31 January 2016. Professionals from 15 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) were invited to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 702 questionnaires were collected and 670 responses were analyzed. Knowledge of the law differed according to professional status, with 71% of MDs (medical staff, MS), compared with 28% of nonmedical staff (NMS) declaring that they had good knowledge of the law. Most MDs and NMS believed that withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments (WWLST) could be decided and implemented after a delay. Half of them thought that WWLST would always result in death. Although required by law, a consulting MD attended the collegial meeting required before deciding on WWLST in only half of the cases. Parents were almost always informed of the decision thereafter by the physician in charge of their infant. The most frequent disagreement with parents was observed when WWLST was the option selected. In this case, most professionals suggested postponing WWLST, continuing intensive care and dialogue with parents, aiming at a final shared decision. Major differences were observed between NICUs with regard to the withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration. Finally, 14% of MDs declared that infant active terminations of life still occurred in their NICU. Major differences concern WWLST and active termination of life, whose meaning has been partly modified since 2001. CONCLUSION: Several major changes were observed in this survey: (1) treatment withdrawal decisions are made today in agreement with the law; (2) parents' information and involvement in the decision process have profoundly changed; (3) active termination of life (euthanasia) very rarely occurs; only at the end of a process in accordance with ethical principles and within the law is this decision made.

Duration of Initial Empirical Antibiotic Therapy and Outcomes in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

: media-1vid110.1542/5984244681001PEDS-VA_2018-2286Video Abstract BACKGROUND: Overuse of antibiotics can facilitate antibiotic resistance and is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. We studied the association between duration of antibiotic therapy and short-term outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1500 g) infants without culture-proven sepsis. METHODS: We included VLBW infants admitted to NICUs in the Canadian Neonatal Network between 2010-2016 who were exposed to antibiotics but did not have culture-proven sepsis in the first week. Antibiotic exposure was calculated as the number of days an infant received antibiotics in the first week of life. Composite primary outcome was defined as mortality or any major morbidity (severe neurologic injury, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, or hospital-acquired infection). RESULTS: Of the 14 207 included infants, 21% (n = 2950), 38% (n = 5401), and 41% (n = 5856) received 0, 1 to 3, and 4 to 7 days of antibiotics, respectively. Antibiotic exposure for 4 to 7 days was associated with higher odds of the composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.41). Each additional day of antibiotic use was associated with 4.7% (95% CI 2.6%-6.8%) increased odds of composite outcome and 7.3% (95% CI 3.3%-11.4%) increased odds in VLBW infants at low risk of early-onset sepsis (born via cesarean delivery, without labor and without chorioamnionitis). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged empirical antibiotic exposure within the first week after birth in VLBW infants is associated with increased odds of the composite outcome. This practice is a potential target for antimicrobial stewardship.

Neonatal Intubation Practice and Outcomes: An International Registry Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neonatal tracheal intubation is a critical but potentially dangerous procedure. We sought to characterize intubation practice and outcomes in the NICU and delivery room (DR) settings and to identify potentially modifiable factors to improve neonatal intubation safety. METHODS: We developed the National Emergency Airway Registry for Neonates and collected standardized data for patients, providers, practices, and outcomes of neonatal intubation. Safety outcomes included adverse tracheal intubation-associated events (TIAEs) and severe oxygen desaturation (≥20% decline in oxygen saturation). We examined the relationship between intubation characteristics and adverse events with univariable tests and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We captured 2009 NICU intubations and 598 DR intubations from 10 centers. Pediatric residents attempted 15% of NICU and 2% of DR intubations. In the NICU, the first attempt success rate was 49%, adverse TIAE rate was 18%, and severe desaturation rate was 48%. In the DR, 46% of intubations were successful on the first attempt, with 17% TIAE rate and 31% severe desaturation rate. Site-specific TIAE rates ranged from 9% to 50% (P < .001), and severe desaturation rates ranged from 29% to 69% (P = .001). Practices independently associated with reduced TIAEs in the NICU included video laryngoscope (adjusted odds ratio 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.73) and paralytic premedication (adjusted odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.57). CONCLUSIONS: We implemented a novel multisite neonatal intubation registry and identified potentially modifiable factors associated with adverse events. Our results will inform future interventional studies to improve neonatal intubation safety.

The History and State of Neonatal Nursing Quality Improvement Practice and Education.

Quality improvement has evolved rapidly in neonatal nursing. This review outlines the history and current state of quality improvement practice and education in neonatal nursing. The future of neonatal nursing includes a stronger emphasis on quality improvement in advanced practice education that promotes doctoral projects that result in clinical improvements. A collective focus will ensure that neonatal nurses not only deliver evidence-based care, but also continually improve the care they deliver.

Large differences in neonatal drug use between NICUs are common practice: time for consensus?

AIMS: Evidence for drug use in newborns is sparse, which may cause large differences in drug prescriptions. We aimed to investigate the differences between neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the Netherlands in currently prescribed drugs. METHODS: This multicentre study included neonates admitted during 12 months to four different NICUs. Drugs were classified in accordance with the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system and assessed for on/off-label status in relation to neonatal age. The treatment protocols for four common indications for drug use were compared: pain, intubation, convulsions and hypotension. RESULTS: A total of 1491 neonates (GA range 23+6 -42+2 weeks) were included with a total of 32 182 patient days, 181 different drugs and 10 895 prescriptions of which 23% was off-label in relation to neonatal age. Overall, anti-infective drugs were most frequently used with a total of 3161 prescriptions, of which 4% was off-label in relation to neonatal age. Nervous system drugs included 2500 prescriptions of which 31% was off-label in relation to neonatal age. Nervous system drugs, blood and blood forming organs, and cardiovascular drugs showed the largest differences between NICUs with ranges of 919-2278, 554-1465, and 238-952 total prescriptions per 1000 patients per ATC class, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that drug use varies widely in neonatal clinical practice. The drug classes with the highest proportion of off-label drugs in relation to neonatal age showed the largest differences between NICUs, i.e. cardiovascular and nervous system drugs. Drug research in neonates should receive high priority to guarantee safe and appropriate medicines and optimal treatment.

Systematic review of developmental care interventions in the neonatal intensive care unit since 2006.

Intervention studies designed to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were evaluated in this systematic review to analyze research methods, to illuminate the effectiveness of interventions, and to make recommendations for future research. Google Scholar, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Applied Health Literature, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were investigated to identify experimental and quasi-experimental interventional studies in peer-reviewed journals. Each study was assessed in the areas of sample, design, interventional strategies, threats to validity, and outcomes. Nineteen articles were reviewed with a variety of clustered and individual strategies identified to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants in the NICU. Developmental care in the NICU appears to have some positive effects on the neurodevelopment of preterm infants. However, there were a number of limitations identified that threaten the validity of the included studies. Going forward, components of developmental care should be operationalized more consistently, greater effort should be put into ensuring treatment fidelity, and electroencephalogram data should be collected in conjunction with behavioral outcome measures.

Primary palliative care in neonatal intensive care.

This article explores the 2014 Institute of Medicine׳s recommendation concerning primary palliative care as integral to all neonates and their families in the intensive care setting. We review trends in neonatology and barriers to implementing palliative care in intensive care settings. Neonatal primary palliative care education should address the unique needs of neonates and their families. The neonatal intensive care unit needs a mixed model of palliative care, where the neonatal team provides primary palliative care and the palliative subspecialist consults for more complex or refractory situations that exceed the primary team׳s skills or available time.

An Innovative Air-Oxygen Blender for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Support in Resource-Poor Locations: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are (i) to evaluate the feasibility of using an inexpensive air pump to maintain reliable oxygen concentration in a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system and (ii) to evaluate whether an inexpensive air pump can maintain infant 02 sats >90%. Methods: This prospective study, which included 19 babies in pilot phase and 90 during extension phase, was conducted at a neonatal intensive care unit in a resource-poor academic medical center in India. The intervention involved introduction of an air pump in the CPAP delivery system. Outcome measures were oxygen concentration in the air-oxygen blend and oxygen saturation of the study babies. Results: Oxygen concentration at the outlets ranged between 56 and 70% and in the blend between 42 and 51%. Oxygen saturation ranged between 90 and 97%. Conclusion: A simple and inexpensive air pump can work as a safe and effective oxygen blender.