Feasibility of Implementing Resuscitation Training for Parents of At-risk Infants at Discharge (FIRST AID).

Introduction: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates are at risk of sudden death at home after discharge. Many of these deaths can be prevented if parents can identify warning signs and provide immediate resuscitation.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of training parents of high-risk neonates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to deliver infant resuscitation effectively.

Comparison of efficacy of a 7-day versus a 14-day course of intravenous antibiotics in the treatment of uncomplicated neonatal bacterial sepsis: study protocol of a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a global public health problem. There is no consensus regarding the optimum duration of antibiotics for culture-proven neonatal sepsis. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing shorter versus longer courses of antibiotics provide low-quality evidence with serious risk of bias.

Reducing rates of discharge against medical advice in the neonatal intensive care unit in a tertiary care hospital in South India: a mixed-methods study.

Objective: To elucidate characteristics among neonates and their mothers who were discharged against medical advice (DAMA), providers' perspectives on DAMA and the effect of an intervention to reduce DAMA in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study to identify neonates at risk of DAMA. We reviewed charts of neonates and their mothers who were DAMA and conducted logit regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to determine associations with DAMA.

Fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM): diagnostic implications and clinical associations.

Introduction: Fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) is diagnosed by the presence of vascular lesions in the muscularized fetal vessels in the placenta and the resultant changes in the downstream villi. The Amsterdam Placental Working Group recognizes two patterns of FVM namely segmental and global. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of FVM lesion in our population and to understand its neonatal associations.

Medication errors in neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in South India: A prospective observational study.

Introduction: Medication errors (MEs) can prolong hospital stay and are a cause of morbidity and mortality. Studies evaluating MEs and its determinants in Indian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are limited. Therefore, this study was done to assess the prevalence, characteristics, determinants, and outcomes of MEs in an Indian NICU setting.

Therapeutic hypothermia for moderate and severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in newborns using low-cost devices - ice packs and phase changing material.

: Different methods have been used for therapeutic hypothermia for neonates with moderate-to-severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). As standard cooling devices are expensive, there is a need to establish the safety and efficacy of low-cost devices such as ice packs (IP) and phase changing material (PCM). : To assess the efficacy and safety of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and the clinico-laboratory profile of neonates who underwent cooling with IP or PCM.

Umbilical cord milking in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of cord milking on short term morbidity and hematologic parameters at 6 weeks in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation.

Methods: This trial randomized preterm infants requiring resuscitation to milking group and no milking group. Multiple pregnancy, Rh negative mothers, hydrops, cord abnormalities were excluded.

Barriers and enablers to skin-to-skin contact at birth in healthy neonates - a qualitative study.

Background: Skin to skin contact (SSC) at birth is the standard of care for newborns without risk factors. However, implementation of SSC at birth has been far from optimal. A qualitative study was undertaken to determine the barriers, enablers and potential solutions to implementation of SSC at birth in healthy newborn infants in a level III neonatal-care facility in Bangalore, India.

Probiotics for Promoting Feed Tolerance in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To measure the efficacy of a probiotic formulation on time to reach full enteral feeds in VLBW (very low birth weight) newborns.

Design: Blinded randomized control trial.

Setting: A tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Southern India between August 2012 to November 2013.

Comparison of efficacy of three devices of manual positive pressure ventilation: a mannequin-based study.

Background: We compared the efficacy of and consistency in manual ventilation by trained healthcare professionals using three devices: self-inflating bag, flow-inflating bag, and T-piece resuscitator.

Methods: Prospective analytical study at a level III Neonatal unit of a tertiary care hospital. Forty participants (consultants, postgraduates, interns, and neonatal nurses - 10 each) manually ventilated a mannequin with the above three devices for three minutes each.

Low cost calibrated mechanical noisemaker for hearing screening of neonates in resource constrained settings.

Background & Objectives: There is a need to develop an affordable and reliable tool for hearing screening of neonates in resource constrained, medically underserved areas of developing nations. This study valuates a strategy of health worker based screening of neonates using a low cost mechanical calibrated noisemaker followed up with parental monitoring of age appropriate auditory milestones for detecting severe-profound hearing impairment in infants by 6 months of age.

Methods: A trained health worker under the supervision of a qualified audiologist screened 425 neonates of whom 20 had confirmed severe-profound hearing impairment.

Maintaining reduced noise levels in a resource-constrained neonatal intensive care unit by operant conditioning.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of operant conditioning in sustaining reduced noise levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design: Quasi-experimental study on quality of care.

Setting: Level III NICU of a teaching hospital in south India.

Hypercalcemia in extremely low birth weight neonates.

Hypercalcemia is rare in neonates but may be associated with hypophosphatemia in Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) neonates who are on parenteral nutrition without adequate phosphate supplementation.

Efficacy of a low cost protocol in reducing noise levels in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness and cost of implementing a noise reduction protocol in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was done in a level III NICU, wherein a noise reduction protocol that included behavioral and environmental modification was implemented. The noise levels were measured sequentially every hour for 15 days before and after this intervention.

Spectral analysis of noise in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To perform spectral analysis of noise generated by equipments and activities in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and measure the real time sequential hourly noise levels over a 15 day period.

Methods: Noise generated in the NICU by individual equipments and activities were recorded with a digital spectral sound analyzer to perform spectral analysis over 0.5 - 8 KHz.

Kangaroo mother care for low birth weight infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the effect of Kangaroo mother care (KMC) and conventional methods of care (CMC) on growth in LBW babies (> 2000 g).

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Level III NICU of a teaching institution in western India.