State of the Science

Abstract

Bacterial infections continue to cause significant neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in small preterm neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit. Maternal and newborn risk factors can be used to prevent newborn infection and initiate early clinical assessments, laboratory diagnostic tests, and antimicrobial agent therapies. Early-onset and late-onset infections have different clinical patterns; however, each must be recognized as soon as possible in order to optimize outcomes. Antibiotics have long been the mainstay of treatment but organism resistance and weak immune system functioning of very premature newborns makes treatment challenging. Research continues on other markers for infection that may lead to more rapid diagnosis. The discovery of new therapies to improve newborn immune system function promises further improvement in outcomes of newborn infection. This article gives an overview of the state of diagnosis and treatment of newborn infection.

Fertility Treatment Is Associated with Stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Respiratory Support in Late Preterm Infants

“…The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development sponsored a workshop in 2005 to focus on optimizing the care of late preterm infants (2), which led to increased awareness of the problems associated with late preterm births (3). Compared to term infants, late preterm infants are at increased risk for short term morbidities, including respiratory distress (4), hypoglycemia (5), infection (6), and hyperbilirubinemia (7). Most recently, a multicenter, randomized trial demonstrated that administration of betamethasone to women at risk for late preterm delivery significantly reduced the risk of neonatal respiratory complications (8), bringing to the forefront the importance of this cohort and changes in practice management.…”