The Incubator

Send us a textIn this heartfelt episode of Beyond the Beeps, Leah and Christina discuss the emotional journey of navigating the NICU as a parent. Christina shares her experiences from the moment she went into preterm labor to the discharge day of her son, Caleb. The conversation highlights the importance of building a support system, advocating for your child, and finding resilience during challenging times. Christina emphasizes the need for information and education in the NICU environment, as well as the significance of self-care for parents. The episode concludes with a message of hope and encouragement for families facing similar journeys.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a wide range of new research shaping neonatal practice and policy.The discussion begins with a randomized controlled trial from Korea examining antenatal corticosteroid use in twin pregnancies at risk for late preterm delivery, showing reductions in neonatal respiratory morbidity. They then turn to a meta-analysis on DHA with or without ARA supplementation in preterm infants, where results raised concerns about potential increased risk of BPD, highlighting the need for more precise dosing and study design.A major feature of this episode is the release of the Improving Neonatology Staffing Toolkit, presented with guests Dr. Kerri Machut and Dr. Milenka Cuevas Guaman. They explain how the toolkit builds on consensus recommendations to offer practical guidance, case studies, and advocacy resources for units of all sizes.Ben and Daphna also review a multi-center study comparing transcatheter closure and surgical ligation of the PDA in extremely preterm infants, finding similar neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years. Additional topics include an analysis of opt-out consent in neonatal trials, new data on the association between critical congenital heart disease and infant cancer, and a systematic review of autism screening tools for preterm children.A dense episode full of data and practical implications for neonatology.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textScreening for Autism in Preterm Children: A Systematic Review.Thomas KE, Raghuram K, Banihani R, Church PT, Mbuagbaw L, Penner M.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 3:e2024069837. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-069837. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40897396Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textCritical Congenital Heart Disease and Infant Cancer.Chin S, Lupo PJ, Baer R, Hobbs CA, Chambers CD, Bandoli G.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 25:e2025072934. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-072934. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40992753 No abstract available.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textParent and practitioner experiences of opt-out consent in neonatal intensive care: a mixed methods study within a trial.Mitchell T, Andrzejewska I, Battersby C, Cole C, Daskalopoulou Z, Dorling J, Gale C, Graham M, Hubbard M, Hardy P, Hurd M, King AR, Manley BJ, Murray D, Nuthall E, O'Connor H, Ojha S, Roberts CT, Rodriquez A, Roehr CC, Stanbury K, Tume L, Young L, Woolfall K.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Aug 31:fetalneonatal-2025-328693. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2025-328693. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40889884Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textComparison of neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants undergoing trans-catheter closure of the patent ductus arteriosus compared to surgical ligation.Kaluarachchi DC, Chock VY, Do BT, Rysavy MA, Sankar MN, Laughon MM, Backes CH, Colaizy TT, Bell EF, McNamara PJ, Hintz SR, Natarajan G.J Perinatol. 2025 Sep 23. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02417-8. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40987835Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textEffect of enteral supplementation of DHA with or without ARA in preterm infants: a meta-analysis.Dang D, Gao Z, Zhang C, Mu X, Lv X, Wu H.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Apr 15:fetalneonatal-2024-327606. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327606. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40233974Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textAntenatal Corticosteroid in Twin-Pregnant Women at Risk of Late Preterm Delivery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Lee SM, Park HS, Choi SR, Lee J, Kim HJ, Park JY, Oh KJ, Cho GJ, Oh MJ, Chung JH, Kim SM, Kim BJ, Kim SY, Hong S, Jung YM, Lee SJ, Seong JS, Kim H, Oh S, Lee J, Jin YR, Kim JH, Cho HY, Park CW, Park JS, Jun JK.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Sep 22:e253284. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3284. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40982289Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textSupport the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Ben and Daphna sit down with Cassie Carrigan and Sacha Force to share the story of Cassie's son, Caleb, and the lessons his short life continues to teach. Cassie, a mother, mental health therapist, and NICU parent, walks us through Caleb's complex diagnostic journey, multiple surgeries, and ultimately the genetic condition that explained his struggles. She reflects candidly on the emotional toll of repeated bad news, the challenge of decision-making in crisis, and the importance of partnership between parents and medical teams.Alongside her, Sacha—Caleb's NICU nurse and now a clinical educator—offers her perspective on building trust with families, balancing medical expertise with empathy, and carrying Caleb's legacy forward in her teaching of new nurses. Together, Cassie and Sacha describe how their bond has grown into an ongoing collaboration, bringing parents' voices directly into staff training and helping future NICU teams understand the lasting impact of compassionate care.This conversation highlights the reality of navigating grief, the role of faith and resilience, and the importance of remembering that every baby—and every family—shapes the professionals who care for them Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textWhat if you could hold in your hands a roadmap to the most influential studies that have shaped modern neonatology? In this special episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. John Zupancic, Dr. Susanna Hay, and Dr. Roger Soll to discuss the release of their new book, 50 Studies Every Neonatologist Should Know. Together with their co-editors Dr. Barbara Schmidt and Dr. Haresh Kirpalani, the team has distilled decades of neonatal research into an accessible, thoughtfully structured volume designed to guide clinicians, trainees, and educators.The conversation explores the motivation behind the book, the editorial process of selecting just 50 landmark trials from thousands, and the importance of revisiting historical studies to understand how evidence has evolved over time. From the groundbreaking DART trial to the early work of pioneers like Bill Silverman, the authors emphasize not only the science but also the stories, challenges, and human insights that lie behind each study.Whether you are a seasoned neonatologist or just beginning your training, this episode provides a behind-the-scenes look at a project that brings clarity and context to evidence-based practice.

Send us a textIn this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Isabella Eiler from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is originally from the Milwaukee area and first attended the Medical College of Wisconsin for medical school. She then went on to complete her pediatric residency at the Indiana University School of Medicine. In this episode of Rupa's Fellows Friday, Dr. Isabella Eiler discusses her journey in neonatology, particularly her interest in NeuroNICU and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). She shares insights from her research on missed opportunities for neonatal assessments and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in improving patient care. Dr. Eiler emphasizes the significance of mentorship during fellowship and the impact of social determinants on neonatal follow-up care. She also reflects on the challenges faced in research and offers valuable advice for future neonatology fellows. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Daphna Barbeau is joined by Dr. Neal Halfon (UCLA) and Dr. Shirley Russ (Cedars-Sinai/UCLA), two leading voices in life course health development, to explore how this framework reshapes our understanding of preterm infant care and follow-up. Together, they discuss their article, Ensuring Optimal Outcomes for Preterm Infants After NICU Discharge: A Life Course Health Development Approach to High-Risk Infant Follow-Up.Dr. Halfon introduces the seven principles of life course health development—development, unfolding, complexity, timing, plasticity, thriving, and harmony—and explains how each reveals the dynamic, multilayered nature of health trajectories. Far from abstract, these principles highlight how small adjustments in the NICU can shape long-term outcomes, with early interventions compounding over time.Dr. Russ reflects on how harmony across biology, family, and society is essential, while also emphasizing the risks posed by mismatches between development and environment. The discussion expands to consider how interventions can be more developmentally tailored, family-centered, strength-based, and designed for long-term optimization rather than short-term problem detection.This episode encourages neonatal professionals to see beyond the walls of the NICU, adopting a design mindset that views care as a team process and recognizes the far-reaching impact of early decisions on a child's ability not just to survive, but to thrive. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Daphna Barbeau welcomes Dr. Shirley Russ, Senior Project Scientist for the Life Course Translational Research Network, to discuss how life course health development can reframe neonatal care and follow-up after prematurity. Drawing from her extensive work leading the Prematurity Node within the network, Dr. Russ highlights why translating research into practice at scale is essential for improving lifelong outcomes.The conversation emphasizes moving beyond a problem-focused, deficit-based model of NICU follow-up toward a strength-based approach that recognizes resilience, family capacity, and the broader developmental ecosystem surrounding each child. Dr. Russ outlines how interventions should not only detect problems but proactively optimize development—by supporting parents' mental health, fostering nurturing environments, and integrating community resources into care.She also shares insights into co-designing research and interventions with families, ensuring that their lived experiences guide both priorities and solutions. Practical examples include addressing parental trauma, redesigning follow-up clinics, and viewing prematurity in the context of interconnected systems—from family and community supports to schools and policies.This forward-looking episode challenges clinicians to rethink follow-up care as more than monitoring milestones. Instead, it presents an opportunity to partner with families and communities to build healthier, more resilient futures for children born preterm. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Daphna Barbeau sits down with Dr. Richard Shaw (Stanford University) and Dr. Soudabeh Givrad (Weill Cornell Medical College), child psychiatry experts and co-authors of Neurodevelopmental, Mental Health, and Parenting Issues in Preterm Infants. Their conversation shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked intersection of prematurity, neurodevelopment, and family mental health.Dr. Givrad explains how the rapid brain growth that normally occurs late in pregnancy makes preterm infants especially vulnerable to stress, pain, separation, and environmental influences in the NICU. She and Dr. Shaw outline the higher risks for challenges in cognition, language, and motor development, while emphasizing opportunities for early interventions that can positively shape outcomes.The discussion then turns to “infant mental health” and the ways relationships in the early years set the stage for emotional regulation, social development, and resilience. Both guests highlight how parental trauma, PTSD, depression, and anxiety affect not only caregivers' well-being but also how they interact with and raise their children. Concepts such as vulnerable child syndrome, overprotection, and parental guilt are explored in depth.Ultimately, this episode underscores why supporting parental mental health is as essential as any medical treatment—because how parents experience and process the NICU journey profoundly shapes the lifelong health and development of their children. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this moving episode, Dr. Ben Courchia and Dr. Daphna Barbeau are joined by LaToshia Rouse, a certified doula and patient engagement consultant, and Dr. Jessica DiBari from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Together, they share insights from their two Parent Perspective articles in the special issue of Children, which focus on the NICU experience and the critical transition to home.LaToshia and Jessica describe the NICU as a culture all its own—one that parents enter suddenly, without preparation, and often with a sense of trauma and grief. They discuss the psychological distress families carry, the challenges of bonding with fragile infants, and the ways communication can either deepen wounds or help parents feel empowered. Practical steps like hand hugs, skin-to-skin care, and peer support emerge as powerful tools for connection.The conversation then shifts to life after discharge, which both guests describe as one of the most daunting transitions. From feeding challenges and equipment management to the constant worry about emergencies, families must adapt quickly while navigating limited community support. LaToshia and Jessica emphasize the need for honest preparation, early planning, and continued guidance that helps parents shed the “fragile baby” mindset and embrace their child's resilience.This episode highlights how listening to families transforms not only the NICU experience but also the long journey that follows.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Daphna Barbeau speaks with Dr. Paige Terrien Church and Dr. Ashwini Lakshmanan about one of the most delicate yet essential aspects of neonatal care: communication. Drawing on their recent articles, the discussion highlights how the words we choose in the NICU profoundly shape families' experiences, hopes, and perceptions of their child's future.Dr. Church addresses the discomfort many clinicians feel when discussing disability, emphasizing how entrenched medical training and ableism can unintentionally bias conversations. She introduces the concepts of microethics—the subtle, everyday interactions between families and providers—and how language choices like “risk” versus “possibility” can dramatically shift tone and meaning. The group explores how framing outcomes around abilities and opportunities, rather than limitations, helps families make sense of uncertainty with dignity and clarity.Dr. Lakshmanan's qualitative work brings in the voices of parents, revealing how uncertainty permeates the NICU journey and affects bonding, mental health, and confidence. Together, the guests highlight strategies for building trust, addressing parental guilt, and creating systems of support during the transition from hospital to home.This episode challenges clinicians to pause, examine their own biases, and recognize language as a tool as powerful as any intervention delivered in the NICU.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Tim Nelin and Dr. Yarden Fraiman, two authors from the recently published special issue of Children on the life course implications of preterm birth. Together, they explore how inequities—both environmental and social—can shape the long-term health trajectories of preterm infants.Dr. Nelin introduces the idea of “micro” and “macro” environments, showing how factors such as air pollution, green space, violence, and neighborhood social vulnerability not only contribute to preterm birth risk but also affect infants once they leave the NICU. His research underscores how the same exposures tied to prematurity continue to drive health disparities long after hospital discharge.Dr. Fraiman focuses on ADHD as a case study of inequity across the life course. He describes the “ADHD care cascade,” illustrating how systemic bias and structural racism impact recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD among children born preterm. The conversation highlights how inequities layer over time, widening gaps in health and educational outcomes.While the challenges are significant, the discussion also points to solutions—ranging from policy interventions and community partnerships to family-centered approaches. This episode emphasizes the urgent need to think upstream, addressing the drivers of inequity to create meaningful change for preterm infants and their families.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textThis episode sets the stage for a collection of conversations inspired by a recently published special issue in Children: Implications of Preterm Birth for Health and Well-Being Over the Life Course. Host Dr. Daphna Barbeau is joined by the editors, Dr. Susan Hintz and Dr. Jonathan Litt of Stanford University, to discuss why the concept of “life course” is so critical for understanding the long-term impact of preterm birth.Dr. Hintz and Dr. Litt explain how survival is only the beginning of the story. Preterm birth often shapes health trajectories well into childhood and adulthood, influenced not only by medical factors but also by family, environment, and community supports. They highlight how the issue's twelve articles bring together diverse perspectives—from developmental science to family voices—that reveal both the challenges and opportunities faced by preterm infants and their families.For busy clinicians, this conversation reframes day-to-day NICU care within a broader, lifelong context. It shows how even routine interactions in the NICU can influence resilience, parental well-being, and future outcomes. More than an introduction, this episode is an invitation to think differently about what it means to care for premature infants—not just today, but across their entire life course.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of At the Bench, hosts Dr. Misty Good and Dr. Betsy Crouch sit down with Dr. AnneMarie Stroustrup, Chair of Pediatrics at Zucker School of Medicine, Physician-in-Chief at Cohen Children's Medical Center, and senior vice president of the pediatric service line at Northwell Health.Dr. Stroustrup reflects on her path from early work in biotechnology to training as a neonatologist and physician scientist. She shares how volunteer experiences in an under-resourced emergency department shaped her decision to pursue medicine, and how her MPH in epidemiology provided the tools to investigate critical questions about fetal and neonatal exposures.The conversation highlights her research on environmental chemicals—particularly phthalates—and their links to outcomes such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, work within the NIH ECHO program, and the importance of large-scale, collaborative science. Dr. Stroustrup also discusses the persistence required in research, navigating funding rejections, and translating epidemiologic findings back to bench models.The discussion concludes with her insights on leadership in neonatology, from directing divisions and fellowships to now serving as chair, balancing research, clinical duties, and family life while advocating for sustainable staffing models in pediatrics.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this week's Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review several recent neonatal studies with direct implications for practice.They begin with the BORN trial from Italy, which investigated whether transfusing preterm infants with cord blood–derived red blood cells, rather than adult donor blood, could reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). While the intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference, per-protocol findings suggest potential benefits that warrant larger trials.Next, they review a large international cohort study of outcomes in infants born at 22–23 weeks, highlighting striking variability in survival and morbidity across networks, with Japan showing the highest survival rates.The EBNeo segment features Dr. Gabriel Altit discussing an Indian randomized trial comparing norepinephrine vs. dopamine as first-line therapy for neonatal septic shock. Although primary outcomes were similar, norepinephrine showed some favorable metabolic and perfusion markers.The hosts then cover a delivery room resuscitation study identifying expiratory tidal volumes of 4–5 ml/kg as key for successful lung aeration, a Canadian trial of atropine for neonatal intubation, and a retrospective study from Alabama on optimal timing and frequency of pulmonary hypertension screening in BPD.The episode concludes with a case report on the use of continuous glucose monitoring in a neonate with congenital hyperinsulinism.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textContinuous glucose monitoring in a neonate with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and ABCC8 gene mutation. Iwańczyk P, Majewska A, Issat T, Hoffman-Zacharska D, Krajewski P, Lipska-Karpińska K.Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep. 2025 Jun 5;2025(2):e250002. doi: 10.1530/EDM-25-0002. Print 2025 Apr 1.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textScreening for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: when, how often and does it matter? Gentle SJ, Carlo WA, Ambalavanan N.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Sep 5:fetalneonatal-2024-328405. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328405. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textAtropine Versus Placebo for Neonatal Nonemergent Intubation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Afifi J, El-Naggar W, Hatfield T, Sandila N, Baier J, Narvey M.J Pediatr. 2025 Jul 9;286:114719. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114719. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40645282Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textRespiratory Targets Associated With Lung Aeration During Delivery Room Resuscitation of Preterm Neonates. Rub DM, Hsu JY, Weinberg DD, Felix M, Nadkarni VM, Te Pas AB, Kuypers KLAM, Davis PG, Ratcliffe SJ, Kirpalani HM, Foglia EE.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Aug 11:e252521. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2521. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textOutcomes of Preterm Infants Born at 22 to 23 Weeks' Gestation in 11 International Neonatal Networks. Isayama T, Norman M, Kusuda S, Reichman B, Lehtonen L, Lui K, Adams M, Vento Torres M, Filippi L, Battin M, Guinsburg R, Modi N, Håkansson S, Klinger G, de Almeida MF, Helenius K, Bassler D, Su YC, Shah PS; International Network for Evaluation of Outcomes (iNeo) Investigators.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Aug 25:e252958. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2958. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textCord red blood cell transfusions for severe retinopathy in preterm neonates in Italy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Teofili L, Papacci P, Pellegrino C, Dani C, Cresi F, Remaschi G, Ansaldi G, Giannantonio C, Campagnoli MF, Vania B, Fabbri M, de Vera d' Aragona RP, Molisso A, Beccastrini E, Dragonetti A, Pasciuto T, Gabbriellini S, Baroni S, Serrao F, Purcaro V, Raffaeli G, Villa S, Prati D, Mondello I, Falcone A, Patti ML, Boggini T, Bergamaschi P, Lepore D, Franco FGS, Orazi L, Mozzetta I, Baldascino A, Valentini CG, Locatelli E, Albiani R, Besso FG, Cantone GV, Coscia A, Trimarchi A, Cavallaro G, Ghirardello S, Vento G.EClinicalMedicine. 2025 Aug 13;87:103426. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103426. eCollection 2025 Sep.PMID: 40838199 Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textDopamine versus epinephrine for neonatal septic shock: an open labeled, randomized controlled trial. Singh G, Bhaskar V, Batra P, Gupta P.J Perinatol. 2025 Aug 28. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02399-7. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40877444EBNEO Commentary: Review of the 'Norepinephrine Versus Dopamine for Septic Shock in Neonates: A Randomised Controlled Trial'. Altit G.Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul 23. doi: 10.1111/apa.70241. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40698742 No abstract available.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Mbozu and Shelly-Ann are joined by Dr Kate Kan, Consultant Pediatrician and the director of the Neonatal Unit at theRegional hospital in Bamenda Cameroon. During the discussion, Dr Kan describes her journey from aspiring pediatrician to her current role as the head of the Neonatal Unit at her institution. She describes some of the challenges as well as  the progress that is being made to improve neonatal care in her region. Dr. Kan also highlights the impact of mentorship in her journey and shares her views on how  mentorship not only guides individual careers but also enhances neonatal care in resource-limited settings.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Dena Hubbard, neonatologist and Director of Quality at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital's NICU. Dr. Hubbard is widely recognized for her leadership in trauma-informed care, physician well-being, and advocacy work within the American Academy of Pediatrics.She shares her journey from private practice to becoming a national voice for trauma-informed approaches in neonatal care. Dr. Hubbard explains how an early encounter with a NICU family transformed her understanding of parental stress, judgment, and resilience—and how that moment shaped her mission to change the way care is delivered. She outlines the principles of trauma-informed care and how these practices differ from traditional family-centered models, emphasizing curiosity over judgment and building trust across the care team.The conversation also explores physician wellness. Dr. Hubbard speaks candidly about burnout, the role of coaching and therapy, and how she redefined her professional path after personal challenges, including grief and illness. Her perspective offers both practical insights for the bedside and a message of hope for healthcare providers navigating stress and systemic pressures.This episode highlights the importance of culture change in NICUs and the value of caring for both families and providers.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this Tech Tuesday episode, Ben speaks with Jason Beyer, Business Unit Leader for the Care Franchise at Chiesi USA, about the development of NeoCarePal, a free mobile app designed to simplify daily workflows in the NICU.NeoCarePal brings together a curated collection of the most commonly used neonatal calculators and formulas in one easy-to-use platform. Instead of searching across multiple sources, clinicians can access tools for glucose infusion rates, oxygenation index, gestational and corrected age, umbilical catheter positioning, endotracheal tube depth, Sarnat scoring, bilirubin management based on the 2022 guidelines, and early onset sepsis risk — all validated and referenced directly in the app.Jason explains how Chiesi moved beyond therapeutics to address unmet needs by listening to clinicians, running focus groups, and designing a solution that reduces frustration at the bedside. The conversation also covers the importance of user experience, ongoing updates based on feedback, and why providing NeoCarePal free of charge was central to its mission.This episode highlights how industry and clinicians can collaborate to create practical, accessible tools that make neonatal care more efficient and reliable. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this Tech Tuesday episode, Ben speaks with Laurence Gulliver, General Manager for Humidification at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. With nearly two decades at the company and a background in mechanical engineering and product development, Laurence has helped guide innovations that have shaped respiratory support for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients worldwide.The conversation explores the role of humidification in neonatal respiratory care and why it is often overlooked despite its impact on mucociliary function, secretion management, bronchoconstriction, and thermoregulation. Laurence explains the engineering challenges of delivering consistent humidity through ventilator circuits, the burden of condensation management, and how newer platforms like the F&P 950 are designed to improve performance and usability.They also discuss Fisher & Paykel's approach to product development, which relies heavily on feedback from caregivers to ensure technology addresses real-world challenges. The episode closes with a broader look at CPAP therapy, opportunities for further innovation in a seemingly simple modality, and the global vision that drives Fisher & Paykel to design solutions adaptable to diverse healthcare settings.This conversation highlights how thoughtful engineering and collaboration with caregivers translate into meaningful improvements in neonatal outcomes.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Dr. Guilherme Sant'Anna, Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University, joins Ben and Daphna to discuss his team's work on implementing an early bubble CPAP protocol in the delivery room. Although CPAP has long been considered standard practice for preterm infants, Dr. Sant'Anna explains why intubation rates remain high in the most immature babies and how his group sought to change this pattern.The conversation reviews the background of the protocol, which began at McGill in 2014, and the cultural shift required to adopt bubble CPAP as the default approach. Dr. Sant'Anna describes the importance of multidisciplinary training, technical details such as proper prong sizing, fixation, humidification, and suctioning, as well as the challenges of sustaining practice change over a decade.The results of this initiative are striking: lower rates of delivery room intubation, reduced severe BPD, and improvements in outcomes particularly for infants born before 28 weeks. Dr. Sant'Anna also reflects on lessons learned, the global implications of bubble CPAP in resource-limited settings, and the importance of sharing knowledge to improve care everywhere.This episode highlights how attention to detail, persistence, and team culture can transform neonatal respiratory care.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, we welcome Dr. Cindy McEvoy, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Neonatal Research at OHSU, to discuss her work on the use of extended CPAP in preterm infants. CPAP has long been a cornerstone of neonatal care, but how long should stable infants remain on support? Dr. McEvoy shares findings from two randomized controlled trials that explored whether an additional two weeks of CPAP could promote lung growth and improve longer-term outcomes.We review the physiologic rationale behind extended CPAP, including the role of mechanical stretch in stimulating alveolar and vascular development. Dr. McEvoy explains the stability criteria used to determine eligibility for extended CPAP and how her team measured pulmonary function in neonates. Results from her studies showed significant improvements in lung volume, diffusion capacity, and expiratory flows, with early signals of reduced wheezing at one year of age.The conversation also touches on feeding tolerance, the practicalities of implementing extended CPAP in the NICU, and the need for larger multicenter studies to confirm these findings. This episode offers an evidence-based look at how a simple extension of an existing therapy might reshape respiratory outcomes for preterm infants.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of At-the-Bench, hosts David McCulley and Misty Good interview Dr. Jennifer Wambach, a neonatologist and researcher specializing in rare neonatal lung diseases. Dr. Wambach shares her journey into neonatology, her research on genetic lung diseases, and the importance of mentorship in developing future physician-scientists. The conversation also covers the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, current research on genetic lung diseases including ABCA3 deficiency, and the challenges faced in rare disease research. Dr. Wambach emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptability in scientific careers, offering valuable advice for early-career investigators.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, we sit down with Dr. David Askenazi, Dr. Heidi Steflik, and Dr. Kimmy Vuong to explore the latest research and practice shifts in neonatal nephrology. The discussion begins with the often-overlooked role of the kidney in the NICU and why kidney health has direct implications for outcomes far beyond discharge.The group reviews three recent high-impact papers. The first, a secondary analysis of the PENUT trial, examines whether PDA treatment in extremely low gestational age infants influences two-year kidney outcomes, raising questions about long-term renal risks and benefits of medical and surgical interventions. The second paper presents a consensus statement on kidney health monitoring for NICU graduates, offering structured recommendations on risk stratification and follow-up for preterm, critically ill, and cardiac infants. Finally, we highlight a quality improvement initiative that used the “Can You PLOTS” bundle to reduce ventilator days by addressing fluid overload systematically, underscoring the importance of early, proactive kidney-focused care.This conversation emphasizes kidney disease as a critical factor in neonatal medicine, the growing pathways for neonatal nephrology training, and practical steps teams can take now to better integrate kidney health into NICU care.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textReducing NICU ventilator days by preventing fluid overload with the CAN-U-P-LOTS standardized bundle.Askenazi DJ, Gordon L, Griffin R, Collins M, Black A, Ambalavanan N, Webb T, Mathis M, Short K, Umberger A, Travers C.Pediatr Res. 2025 Jul 11. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04078-x. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40646283Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textKidney Health Monitoring in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduates: A Modified Delphi Consensus Statement.Starr MC, Harer MW, Steflik HJ, Gorga S, Ambalavanan N, Beck TM, Chaudhry PM, Chmielewski JL, Defreitas MJ, Fuhrman DY, Hanna M, Joseph C, Kwiatkowski DM, Krawczeski CD, Liberio BM, Menon S, Mohamed TH, Rumpel JA, Sanderson KR, Schuh MP, Segar JL, Slagle CL, Soranno DE, Vuong KT, Charlton JR, Gist KM, Askenazi DJ, Selewski DT; Neonatal Kidney Health Consensus Workshop.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9):e2435043. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35043.PMID: 39269711 Free article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textAssociation of patent ductus arteriosus treatment in extremely low gestational age neonates with two year kidney outcomes: a secondary analysis of the preterm erythropoietin neuroprotection trial (PENUT).Condit PE, Guillet R, Kaluarachchi D, Griffin RL, Menon S, Askenazi DJ, Harer MW.BMC Nephrol. 2025 Mar 19;26(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-04065-8.PMID: 40108500 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Tim Van Hasselt, who is now a NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer and Neonatal Subspeciality Registrar (fellow-equivalent) at the University of Leicester, UK.. Tim describes his training in the UK, his pathway to doing his PhD in investigating the impact of preterm birth on readmissions to the PICU. We talk about how he went about finding his mentor and how the project came about. He used two national databases and investigated his research question, where he ultimately found that the odds of unplanned admissions to PICU were greater in the most preterm and those with significant neonatal morbidity. With this data, he, along with his team were able to create infographics that could help educate parents of NICU graduates. (https://timms.le.ac.uk/preterm-birth-and-paediatric-intensive-care/)He also describes his experience interacting with parents who provided valuable feedback for the infographics and for his project. Dr Van Hasselt has successfully published his data in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Paediatric intensive care admissions of preterm children born | ADC Fetal & Neonatal EditionHe also has several publications related to this topic and has presented his work in several National conferences.  Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this week's episode of Beyond the Beeps, Leah and Lina explore the often-overlooked but critical role of communication in neonatal intensive care.The discussion focuses on how clinicians can bridge the gap between technical expertise and human connection. They reflect on practical strategies for listening actively, explaining medical information clearly, and adjusting communication styles to meet the needs of parents and families in high-stress situations. Drawing on real experiences, they highlight the importance of empathy, collaboration, and presence at the bedside, while also addressing the challenges that arise when communication breaks down.The episode also examines the impact of communication on team dynamics within the NICU, from how providers share updates to how they align on care goals. Lina and Leah underscore that effective communication is not just a soft skill—it's a core component of safe and compassionate care.This conversation offers concrete takeaways for neonatal professionals seeking to strengthen how they connect with both families and colleagues. Whether you are a bedside nurse, physician, or allied health provider, the insights shared here will resonate with your daily practice.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textThis week on Journal Club, we review five important studies with direct implications for your work in the NICU. First, we examine the newly released third-generation Fenton growth charts—how do they differ from previous versions, and what do they reveal about how we may have underestimated early growth trajectories in preterm infants? Next, we evaluate the association between retinopathy of prematurity and structural brain abnormalities on term-equivalent MRI—can ROP severity serve as a marker for broader neurologic vulnerability? We also look at a randomized trial assessing the safety and effectiveness of using 100% oxygen during deferred cord clamping in extremely preterm infants. Does this strategy safely reduce early hypoxemia without increasing the risk of hyperoxia? Then, we explore early neurodevelopmental outcomes following autologous cord blood stem cell infusions in preterm infants—what signals are emerging, and how close are we to bedside applications? Finally, we unpack two diaphragm-focused investigations: one challenging the long-held practice of using rib counts on chest radiographs to estimate lung volumes, and another showing how even short-term sedation can induce measurable diaphragmatic dysfunction. These studies raise important questions—how should we adapt our practice in light of this data? Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textImpact of Sedation on Ventilator-Induced Diaphragmatic Dysfunction in Extremely Preterm Infants.Hoshino Y, Arai J, Hirono K, Maruo K, Miura-Fuchino R, Yukitake Y, Kajikawa D, Kamakura T, Hinata A, Okada Y, Sato Y.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2025 May;60(5):e71126. doi: 10.1002/ppul.71126.PMID: 40365938Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textDiaphragm Position on Chest Radiograph to Estimate Lung Volume in Neonates.Dahm SI, Sett A, Gunn EF, Ramanauskas F, Hall R, Stewart D, Koeppenkastrop S, McKenna K, Gardiner RE, Rao P, Tingay DG.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jul 21:e252108. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2108. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40690243 Free PMC article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textEarly Neurodevelopment of Extremely Preterm Infants Administered Autologous Cord Blood Cell Therapy: Secondary Analysis of a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.Zhou L, Razak A, McDonald CA, Yawno T, McHugh DT, Whiteley G, Connelly K, Sackett V, Miller SL, Jenkin G, Novak I, Hunt RW, Malhotra A.JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Jul 1;8(7):e2521158. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.21158.PMID: 40608334 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textDeferred Cord Clamping With High Oxygen in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Katheria AC, Ines F, Lee HC, Sollinger C, Vali P, Morales A, Sanjay S, Dorner R, Koo J, Gollin Y, Das A, Poeltler D, Steinhorn R, Finer N, Lakshminrusimha S.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jul 21:e252128. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2128. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40690234Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textRetinopathy of Prematurity and Risk of Structural Brain Abnormalities on Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Term Among Infants Born at Less Than or Equal to 32 Weeks of Gestation.Roy S, Peterson L, Kline-Fath B, Parikh NA; Cincinnati Infant Neurodevelopment Early Prediction Study (CINEPS) Investigators.J Pediatr. 2025 Jun 27;286:114711. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114711. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40582695 Free article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textFenton Third-Generation Growth Charts of Preterm Infants Without Abnormal Fetal Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Fenton TR, Elmrayed S, Alshaikh BN.Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1111/ppe.70035. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40534585 Review.Birth weight and head circumference for 22-29 weeks gestation neonates from an international cohort.Fenton TR, Alshaikh B, Kusuda S, Helenius K, Modi N, Norman M, Lui K, Lehtonen L, Battin M, Klinger G, Vento M, Lastrucci V, Gagliardi L, Adams M, Marba STM, Isayama T, Hakansson S, Bassler D, Shah PS; International Network for Evaluation of Outcomes (iNeo) of Neonates Investigators.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Jun 19;110(4):401-408. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327845.PMID: 39762001Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textWhole-Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy in Preterm Infants 33 to 35 Weeks' Gestation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Faix RG, Laptook AR, Shankaran S, Eggleston B, Chowdhury D, Heyne RJ, Das A, Pedroza C, Tyson JE, Wusthoff C, Bonifacio SL, Sánchez PJ, Yoder BA, Laughon MM, Vasil DM, Van Meurs KP, Crawford MM, Higgins RD, Poindexter BB, Colaizy TT, Hamrick SEG, Chalak LF, Ohls RK, Hartley-McAndrew ME, Dysart K, D'Angio CT, Guillet R, Kicklighter SD, Carlo WA, Sokol GM, DeMauro SB, Hibbs AM, Cotten CM, Merhar SL, Bapat RV, Harmon HM, Sewell E, Winter S, Natarajan G, Mosquera R, Hintz SR, Maitre NL, Benninger KL, Peralta-Carcelen M, Hines AC, Duncan AF, Wilson-Costello DE, Trembath A, Malcolm WF, Walsh MC; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Apr 1;179(4):396-406. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.6613.PMID: 39992674 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.EBNEO Commentary: Is Therapeutic Hypothermia Beneficial to Infants Born Between 33 and 35 Weeks Gestation?Spahic H, Zoubovsky SP, Dietz RM.Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul;114(7):1742-1743. doi: 10.1111/apa.70098. Epub 2025 Apr 18.PMID: 40251839 No abstract available.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textIn this episode, Mbozu interviews Dr. Olufunke Bolaji, consultant pediatrician and neonatologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti, shares her journey into neonatology, driven by mentorship, a love for children, and global learning experiences in Nigeria and the UK. She describes leading a high-performing neonatal unit in a rural Nigerian setting that has achieved Level 3 care, supported by strong hospital administration and collaborations. Her research focuses on preterm births, neonatal sepsis, respiratory support, and newborn metrics, with emphasis on data-driven quality improvement. As a leader in the African Neonatal Association, she champions collaboration, advocacy, and “decolonizing” neonatal research by centering African-led priorities and implementation. She highlights the importance of teamwork, mentorship, data, and partnerships in merging clinical care with impactful research.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

Send us a textPicture this: You're caring for a 22-week infant, uncertain whether survival is even possible—and yet you remember that someone like Dr. Ed Bell has been quietly tracking cases just like this for decades.In this episode of The Incubator Podcast, we welcome Dr. Edward Bell, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Vice Chair for Faculty Development in Neonatology at the University of Iowa. A leader in the care of extremely preterm infants, Dr. Bell shares the origins of the Tiniest Babies Registry, his views on how viability has shifted over the decades, and why institutional culture—not just technical capability—makes all the difference in outcomes for the smallest patients.We talk through the evolution of care for infants born at the edge of viability, what defines success at 21–22 weeks, the growing segmentation of neonatology into subspecialties, and how consistency in care delivery plays a vital role. The episode closes with practical advice for young neonatologists entering the field today.A grounded, no-nonsense conversation with someone who has shaped—and continues to influence—the trajectory of neonatal medicine.Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!