Direct breastfeeding frequency of late preterm and term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and availability of mother's own milk at six months of age. a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Mother's Own Milk (MOM) reduces the risk of complications in premature infants. Breastfeeding rates for late preterm and term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are significantly lower than that of breastfed healthy term newborns at 6 months of age.

Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of neonates born at 34 weeks 0 days or later.

Amplification of Heart Sounds Using Digital Stethoscope in Simulation-Based Neonatal Resuscitation.

Objective: The accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of the current methods of heart rate (HR) determination in neonatal resuscitation are debatable, each having its own limitations. We aim to compare three methods of HR assessment: (1) traditional stethoscope, (2) electrocardiogram and traditional stethoscope, and (3) digital stethoscope with loudspeaker amplification of heart sounds.

Study Design: This was a simulated crossover experiment using a high-fidelity manikin.

Comparison of Parental In-Person Visitation and Webcam Usage Patterns at a Single-Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Purpose: Barriers to parents visiting the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in person for infant bonding include socioeconomic status, distance from NICU, and having children at home. Use of NICU bedside webcam can increase access to parent-infant interaction. This study aimed to describe the pattern of webcam logins by parents, relationship of logins to in-person visitation, and maternal factors affecting usage.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Adaptations by International Community Access to Child Health (ICATCH) Projects in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

The health personnel in low/low and middle-income countries have faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Community Access to Child Health (ICATCH) grants support locally initiated projects in those countries. The aim of this study was to highlight how the challenges countered by grant project teams continuing their projects and demonstrating their skills to adapt to an increasingly difficult environment.

Did the Timing of State Mandated Lockdown Affect the Spread of COVID-19 Infection? A County-level Ecological Study in the United States.

Objectives: Previous pandemics have demonstrated that several demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic factors may play a role in increased infection risk. During this current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our aim was to examine the association of timing of lockdown at the county level and aforementioned risk factors with daily case rate (DCR) in the United States.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using publicly available data was performed including Americans with COVID-19 infection as of May 24, 2020.

Application of Kaiser Sepsis Calculator in culture-positive infants with early onset sepsis.

Background: Kaiser Sepsis Calculator (KSC) reduces antibiotic use, testing and intravenous infiltrates but there are concerns about the missed early onset sepsis (EOS) cases. We sought to apply the KSC score for culture-positive infants retrospectively in infants born in the last 10 years in our hospital.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, the comparison groups were divided into Group A (no antibiotics recommended by KSC) and Group B (antibiotics recommended).

The U.S. National Trend for Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Objective: The use of supplemental oxygen in premature infants is essential for survival. However, its use has been associated with unintended complications. The restricted use of oxygen is associated with increased mortality and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), whereas its liberal use is associated with increased risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Diagnosis of Neonatal Herpes Simplex Infection from the Placenta.

Due to a high rate of fetal demise and premature birth in intrauterine HSV infection, the outcome in neonates is usually adverse. A female preterm infant with a gestational age of 25 1/7 weeks with expected early clinical course tested positive for neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) 2 after the neonatologist was informed of positive immunohistochemistry for the virus on the fifth day of life by the pathologist. Pathological examination of the placenta had revealed subacute necrotizing inflammation with stromal cell necrosis suggestive of intrauterine infection, possibly ascending due to prolonged rupture of membranes.

Predicting outcomes of mechanically ventilated premature infants using respiratory severity score.

Background: Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants have significant morbidities and higher mortality. The major morbidities are bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Release of proinflammatory cytokines has been implicated in the development of systemic inflammation that contributes to BPD aND ROP.

Telemedicine, a tool for follow-up of infants discharged from the NICU? Experience from a pilot project.

Objective: Follow-up of infants from the NICU by neonatologist is limited to premature and complicated infants although parents of infants with advanced gestation may have concerns as well. We compared parental questions of infants < 35 weeks gestation (group A), during virtual telemedicine visits, to ≥35 week infants (group B).

Study Design: In a retrospective cohort study, questions asked by parents were extracted from the electronic medical record of all infants post discharge from the NICU, after their pediatrician visit.

Association of the previous history of maternal depression with post-partum depression, anxiety, and stress in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: A history of depression in post-partum women who have infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), is associated with higher risk for anxiety and stress. These conditions, which can be harmful to neonates, may be missed if maternal mental health screening is confined to depression.

Objective: To determine if the history of a previously diagnosed depression would be associated with an increased risk of both postpartum depression and other stress-related disorders (i.

Comparison of keyboard colonization before and after use in an inpatient setting and the effect of keyboard covers.

Computer keyboards may contribute to patient infections. We cultured new keyboards, with/without keyboard covers, before placing them in adult inpatient rooms and recultured after 6 months. Nonpathogenic bacteria were present initially but potentially pathogenic bacteria were cultured only after use.

Partial Obstruction of the Endotracheal Tube by the Plastic Coating Sheared from a Stylet.

A preterm with gestational age of 24 weeks was intubated at day of life 16. The intubation was done in a routine manner with the use of a stylet. It took a significant effort from the clinician to pull the stylet out after intubation.

Clinical Indicators of Late-Onset Sepsis Workup in Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background Late-onset sepsis (LOS) in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Objectives To determine the incidence of LOS workup, association, and predictive value of clinical indicators leading to culture-positive versus culture-negative sepsis workup. Methods All sepsis workups performed after 7 days of life, in neonates with birth weight of < 1,500 g were included.

A comparison of manual versus automated saturation of peripheral oxygenation in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: It is vital to maintain the saturation of peripheral oxygenation (SpO2) in a targeted range in extremely premature infants to improve survival without significant morbidities.

Objectives: To compare manual versus automated monitor documentations of daily upper and lower values of SpO2 in premature infants.

Methods: In a prospective observational study, the highest and lowest daily SpO2 manually recorded values from electronic medical records were compared with automatically recorded values from bedside cardiorespiratory monitors.