Prediction of intrapartum fever using continuously monitored vital signs and heart rate variability.

Objectives: Neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS), bacterial infection during the first seven days of life, is difficult to diagnose because presenting signs are non-specific, but early diagnosis before birth can direct life-saving treatment for mother and baby. Specifically, maternal fever during labor from placental infection is the strongest predictor of EOS. Alterations in maternal heart rate variability (HRV) may precede development of intrapartum fever, enabling incipient EOS detection.

Serum ghrelin is associated with early feeding readiness but not growth in premature infants.

Background: Feeding tolerance among premature infants is unpredictable using clinical parameters. Ghrelin, a peptide hormone, acts on the hypothalamus to increase hunger and gut motility. It is present in fetal tissues, promotes intestinal maturation, and is secreted in milk.

Lipid peroxidation products as predictors of oxidant-mediated disease in preterm infants.

Background: Preterm infants are susceptible to "oxygen radical diseases" (ORD). 8-isoprostane (8-IP) is a bioactive eicosanoid generated by reactive oxygen species-catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is generated by the decomposition of oxidant-induced lipid hydroperoxides.

Efficacy of continuous monitoring of maternal temperature during labor using wireless axillary sensors.

Neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS) occurs in 0.5-0.8/1000 live births and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.

Bacterial stability with freezer storage of human milk.

Objectives: Human milk supports the development of a beneficial newborn intestinal microflora. We have shown previously that human milk had reduced bacteria but unchanged nutrient composition when stored at -20 °C for up to nine months. We suspected declining bacterial colony counts were manifestations of bacterial dormancy and not failure of survival.

Short-term efficacy of two breast pumps and impact on breastfeeding outcomes at 6 months in exclusively breastfeeding mothers: A randomised trial.

The provision of breast pumps is a potential strategy to increase breastfeeding duration. This trial compared the effectiveness and acceptability of two breast pumps in mothers exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) their healthy term infant. It also tested whether provision of pumps versus vouchers of equivalent value influenced breastfeeding or attainment of mothers' goals at 3 and 6 months.

Pasteurization Preserves IL-8 in Human Milk.

Pasteurized donor human milk is an alternative feeding when mothers' own milk is not available for premature infants. The effects of pasteurization on the host defense properties of human milk are unclear. We investigated the effects of Holder pasteurization on concentrations of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines in human milk.

Serum surfactant protein D as a marker for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Lung epithelial cells express surfactant protein D (SP-D), a calcium-dependent lectin that plays an important role in antibody-independent pulmonary host defense. Previous studies have shown that it is found in the peripheral circulation in patients with pulmonary disease, likely because of translocation into the blood when lung epithelial barriers are disrupted by inflammation or acute injury. In adults, serum SP-D levels are biomarkers for the progression and severity of chronic lung disease.

Effects of Extended Freezer Storage on the Integrity of Human Milk.

Objective: To examine the integrity (pH, bacterial counts, host defense factors, nutrient contents, and osmolality) of freshly expressed and previously refrigerated human milk subjected to long-term freezer storage.

Study Design: Mothers donated 100 mL of freshly expressed milk. Samples were divided into baseline, storage at -20°C (fresh frozen) for 1, 3, 6, and 9 months, and prior storage at +4°C for 72 hours (refrigerated frozen) before storage at -20°C for 1 to 9 months.

Oral Feeding Assessment Predicts Length of Hospital Stay in Late Preterm Infants.

Background: When compared with term infants, late preterm (LP) infants have greater morbidity and mortality, longer hospital stay, and greater rate of hospital readmission. Oral feeding difficulty is one of the prominent reasons for delayed discharge in LP infants.

Objective: To identify the maturity levels of LP infants' oral feeding skills (OFS) at the time of their first oral feeding and to determine the relationship between OFS maturity levels and length of hospital stay.

Do thawing and warming affect the integrity of human milk?

Objective: To evaluate the integrity of the human milk (pH, bacterial counts, host defense factors and nutrients) subjected to thawing, warming, refrigeration and maintenance at room temperature.

Study Design: Mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit donated freshly expressed milk. A baseline sample was stored at -80 °C and the remainder of the milk was divided and stored for 7 days at -20 °C.

Refrigerator storage of expressed human milk in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To provide recommendations for refrigerator storage of human milk, the overall integrity (bacterial growth, cell counts, and component concentrations) of milk was examined during 96 hours of storage at 4 degrees C.

Study Design: Fresh milk samples (n = 36) were divided and stored at 4 degrees C for 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. At each time, pH, white cell count, and osmolality were measured and additional samples were stored at -80 degrees C until analyzed for bacteria and concentrations of lactoferrin, secretory (s)IgA, fat, fatty acids, and protein.

Effect of human milk fortifiers on bacterial growth in human milk.

Background: As a component in human milk fortifiers (HMF), iron may equilibrate with human milk for as long as 24 hours, bind important bacteriostatic proteins, and potentially affect the host defense properties of human milk.

Objective: We compared bacterial growth in human milk prepared with each of two HMF differing in their content of iron.

Study Design: Samples of human milk obtained from mothers of premature infants were divided and mixed with one of two HMF and maintained at refrigerator temperature.