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Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and intracranial hemorrhage are severe emergencies in the neonatal period. The two do not appear to be correlated. However, our report suggests that parenchymal brain hemorrhage in full-term newborns may put patients at risk for NEC by altering intestinal function through the brain-gut axis. Case presentation: We present a case of spontaneous parenchymal cerebral hemorrhage in a full-term newborn who developed early-stage NEC on Day 15. Conclusions: It is possible to consider brain parenchymal hemorrhage as a risk factor for the appearance of NEC. Clinicians should be highly cautious about NEC in infants who have experienced parenchymal hemorrhage. This article is the first to discuss the relationship between parenchymal hemorrhage and NEC in full-term newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objectives of this study are to compare thyroid hormone levels in term asphyxiated newborns versus healthy controls and to determine potential correlations between the severity of birth asphyxia and the thyroid hormone levels. Materials and methods: A prospective case- control study was performed by comparing cases of birth asphyxia with the healthy controls. The primary outcomes included cord blood Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (cTSH), TSH and Free Thyroxine 4 (FT4) levels at 24-36 hours after birth. Correlations were sought between the severity of birth asphyxia with the thyroid hormone levels for the cases. Results: The study included 20 cases and 21 controls. Demographic data were similar for the two groups except for a significantly higher Caesarean section rate in the control group. There were no significant differences between the groups in the cord TSH and the 24-36 hours FT4 levels, but the median (IQR) TSH level at 24 to 36 hours was significantly lower in the case group than in the control group, (8.3 mIU/L(9.2) versus 14.1 mIU/L(7.6); p<0.05). The highest Thompson scores within the first six hours after birth was significantly correlated with lower TSH levels (r = -0.468; p<0.05). There was also a significant correlation between the Apgar score at 10 minutes and the level of FT4 at 24-36 hours after birth (r = 0.501; p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that TSH at 24-36 hours after birth was significantly lower in asphyxiated newborns. Selected parameters of the severity of birth asphyxia correlated with thyroid hormone levels at 24-36 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the indigenous population is vulnerable and there is limited understanding of their somatometric indicators and APGAR score at birth. Aim: the objective of the study was to explore the association of the condition of indigenous newborn (INB) on somatometric parameters and APGAR score at birth. Methods: this study employed an exploratory cross-sectional design, utilizing the registry of newborns (NB) from a private clinic. The APGAR score at one minute after birth, as well as nutritional indicators derived from measurements of weight, height, and perimeters, were taken into consideration. The statistical analysis involved the use of logistic regressions. Results: the analysis included 7413 NB (1.8 % INB), 52 % were male and 8.1 % were born preterm (gestational age < 37 weeks). In comparison to non-indigenous NB, the INB group showed a higher risk of malnutrition (8 % vs. 6.3 %; p < 0.001), a greater prevalence of excess weight (7.3 % vs. 1.8 %; p < 0.001), smaller head circumference (33.6 cm vs. 34.1 cm; p = 0.017), smaller abdominal circumference (30.9 cm vs. 31.5 cm; p = 0.011), and a higher occurrence of low APGAR scores (< 7) (8.7 % vs. 1.2 %; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the indigenous condition was independently associated with low birth weight (< 2.500 g) (OR, 0.4; 95 % CI, 0.2; 0.9), excess head circumference (OR, 2.7; 95 % CI, 1.5; 4.7), and APGAR score < 7 points (OR, 8.3; 95 % CI, 4.2; 16.5). Conclusions: the indigenous condition was associated with factors that have adverse effects on the health of NB, including reduced head circumference and suboptimal performance on the APGAR scale. These results emphasize the importance of improving access to and quality of prenatal healthcare services for indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This randomised‐controlled trial aims to examine the effect of regional massage performed before blood collection on pain and vital signs in term newborns. Methods: The study sample consisted of a total of 96 term newborns, 49 in the experimental group and 47 in the control group, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Before the blood collection process, those in the experimental group received two (2) minutes of massage on their blood collection region, and their pain levels and vital signs were observed. Data were collected using a newborn information form, an intervention follow‐up form, and the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS). Statistical analyses of the collected data included descriptive statistics, Chi‐squared test, independent‐samples t test, paired‐samples t test and Cohen's kappa statistic. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: While 51% (n = 49) of the newborns were included in the experimental group, 38.5% (n = 37) were born at the 38th gestational week. Their mean post‐natal age was 4.82 ± 4.04 days. The newborns in the experimental and control groups had similar demographic characteristics and blood collection experiences, and there was no statistically significant difference between them (P > 0.05). The mean crying time in the control group (56.9 ± 25.4 s) was significantly longer than that in the experimental group (30.6 ± 29.3 s) (P < 0.05). The newborns in the experimental group had shorter crying times, lower pain levels and heart rate, and higher oxygen saturation than those in the control group. Conclusion: The regional massage intervention reduced pain in term newborns. Therefore, neonatal nurses can be trained to use massage as an alternative infant care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Screening for Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) depends on the antenatal ultrasonography and clinical examination of the newborn, however both these methods have low detection rates and often life-threatening congenital heart diseases are missed. Pulse Oximetry (PO) is an easy, accurate, rapid, non invasive method of detecting hypoxaemia. The purpose of using PO to identify Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) is that clinically non detectable minimal hypoxaemia can be detected by pulseoximetry. Aim: To study the accuracy of pulse oxymetry as a screening tool for early detection of critical congenital heart diseases in asymptomatic newborns. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics and the Postnatal Ward of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India, from January 2017 to December 2020. All the term asymptomatic newborns of age more than 24 hours were screened using PO. Screening was positive if a: PO was <90% in right hand or foot at any stage of screening, b was 90% to <95% on both; there was >3% absolute difference in oxygen saturation between the right hand and foot on three consecutive measures (each separated by one hour). All the screen positive babies were subjected to 2D echocardiography. All statistical analyses were performed using OpenEpi website epicalculator, and Chi-square's test was used to calculate the p-value. Results: The mean gestational age (weeks) was 38±4 days. Out of 14,400, PO screening was positive in 45 babies, and subsequent echocardiography detected CHD in 30 babies. The sensitivity was 66.67%, positive predictive value was 66.67%, negative predictive value was 99.90%, with a diagnostic accuracy of 99.79%. On 2D electrocardiography, 30 were true positive cases, whereas, false positives and false negatives were 15 each. Remaining 14340 newborns were true negatives. Conclusion: Pulse oximetry is a safe, accessible, feasible test that can be used for early detection of CCHD's that are often undetected on antenatal ultrasonography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that desaturations and bradycardia precede acute life-threatening events (ALTE) and that ALTE is more common in the delivery room than later in life. However, frequency, duration and severity of desaturations in the first hours of life and additional risk factors have not readily been studied. Term neonates (n = 100) were monitored for the first two hours after birth by pulse oximetry. The impact of maternal and perinatal factors on the frequency and severity of desaturations (<85%) and bradycardia (<80/min) was evaluated. Desaturations were detected in 30%, prolonged desaturations in 25% of infants. Desaturations were observed significantly more often in infants born by planned Cesarean section (pCs) compared to other modes of delivery (pCs 20/49; others 10/51; p =.029). Desaturations were also more frequent in infants diagnosed with neonatal infection (NI) or infants born to a mother with gestational diabetes (GDM), although not significantly. No bradycardia <80/min was detected. In our collective 4% of healthy term neonates had prolonged, clinically relevant desaturations in the first hours after birth. The mode of delivery and maternal risk factors may increase the risk for these events. However, our cohort was too small to detect any ALTE or SIDS and determine potential risk factors for these events. Our data lay ground for a large-scale prospective trial to investigate whether the mode of delivery could be an indication for general pulse oximetry monitoring of newborn in the delivery room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The mature central autonomic network includes connectivity between autonomic nervous system brainstem centers and the cerebral cortex. The study objective was to evaluate the regional connectivity between the cerebral cortex and brainstem autonomic centers in term newborns by measuring coherence between high-density electroencephalography and heart rate variability as measured by electrocardiography. Methods: Low-risk term newborns with birth gestational age of 39–40 weeks were prospectively enrolled and studied using time-synced electroencephalography and electrocardiography for up to 60 min before discharge from the birth hospital. The ccortical autonomicc nervous system association was analyzed using coherence between electroencephalography-delta power and heart rate variability. Heart rate variability measured the parasympathetic tone (root mean square of successive differences of heart rate) and sympathetic tone (standard deviation of heart rate). Results: One hundred and twenty-nine low-risk term infants were included. High coherence delta-root mean square of successive differences was found in central, bitemporal, and occipital brain regions, with less robust coherence delta-standard deviation in the central region and bitemporal areas. Conclusions: Our findings describe a topography of ccortical autonomicc connectivity present at term in low-risk newborns, which was more robust to parasympathetic than sympathetic brainstem centers and was independent of newborn state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior fontanel is an integral element of an infant craniofacial system. There are six fontanels in the newborn skull, namely anterior, posterior, two mastoid, and two sphenoid fontanels. The anterior fontanel is the largest, prominent, and most important for clinical evaluation. Sex, race, genetics, gestational age, and region are the principal factors that influence anterior fontanel size. There exist inconclusive findings on the size of anterior fontanel in newborns. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled mean size of anterior fontanel among term newborns and to identify the pooled mean difference of anterior fontanel size between males and females. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct, JBI Library, embase, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. All essential data were extracted using a standardized data extraction format. The heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the Cochrane Q test statistic, I2 test statistic, and p -values. A fixed-effect model and random effect model were used to estimate the pooled mean size of anterior fontanel and the pooled mean difference between male newborns and female newborns, respectively. To deal with heterogeneity, sub-group analysis, meta-regression analysis, and sensitivity analysis were considered. JBI quality appraisal checklist was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Results: In this meta-analysis, 8, 661 newborns were involved in twenty-six studies. Among studies, 13 conducted in Asia, 7 in Africa, 5 in America, and 1 in Europe. The pooled mean size of anterior fontanel was 2.58 cm (95% CI: 2.31, 2.85 cm). The pooled mean size of anterior fontanel for Asia, Africa, America, and Europe region was 2.49, 3.15, 2.35, and 2.01 cm, respectively. A statistically significant mean difference was detected between male and female newborns (D + L pooled MD = 0.15 cm, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.29 cm). Conclusion: The pooled estimate of this review does provide the mean value of the anterior fontanel size in the newborns. There was a statistically significant mean fontanel size difference between male and female newborns. Therefore, male newborns had a significantly larger mean size than female newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely detection of severe infratentorial hemorrhage in neonates is crucial, especially in case of life-threatening brain stem compression and/or acute obstructive hydrocephalus, which need lifesaving neurosurgical intervention. Although the detection of infratentorial hemorrhage by ultrasound scanning is often considered as difficult, the use of additional acoustic windows and recognition of characteristic ultrasound features facilitate early diagnosis. In this case series, we report on newborns with severe, symptomatic infratentorial hemorrhage detected primarily by cranial ultrasound. We demonstrate the characteristic ultrasound features present in all cases and discuss how ultrasound diagnosis contributed to early diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the clinical and demographic features, duration of treatment and risk factors in term newborns hospitalized with a diagnosis of indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Materials and Method: All term neonates, hospitalized with a diagnosis of indirect hyperbilirubinemia between January 2008 - December 2008 were included in the study. The patients in the study group were followed up for a year in respect to the complications of hyperbilirubinemia. Results: Two hundred and forty eight neonates, who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. One hundred and forty five (58.5 %) neonates were males. The average gestational age and birth weight were found to be 38.1±1.0 weeks and 3025±509 g respectively. Of the 248 neonates, 136 (55.6 %) were the first child of the family and 198 (80 %) were exclusively breast fed. The average postnatal age at admission and total bilirubin level were 4.6±2.6 days and 18.7±4.5 mg/dL respectively. In 98 (39.5 %) neonates the etiology of hyperbilirubinemia could not be found. Dehydration was found in 33 (13.3 %), ABO incompatability in 75 (30.2 %) and Rh incompatability in 19 (7.2 %) patients. The average length of stay and duration of phototherapy were 3.1±2.2 days and 44.8±22.8 hours respectively. Nine patients received IVIG; of which 6 had Rh incompatability, 2 ABO incompatability and 1 subgorup incompatability. Exchange transfusion was performed in 8 patients. Two patients receiving IVIG had to be treated with exchange transfusion. During 1 year follow up any bilirubin encephalopathy, hearing loss or neuromotor developmental delay was not observed. Conclusion: Birth weight less than 2500 g, postnatal pathological weight loss and exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05) were found to be the risk factors related with high total serum bilirubin levels. During one year follow up, absence of any developmental delay, hearing problem or bilirubin encephalopathy may indicate that optimum treatment and follow up have been accomplished for these newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an autopsy case of intrauterine pneumonia in a term newborn in whom Ureaplasma parvum was confirmed by PCR examinations, including a novel diagnostic tool for detecting pathogens that caused neonatal infections using multiplex PCR. This is the first report of U. parvum being implicated in the pathogenesis of congenital pneumonia with sepsis in a term newborn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypernatremic dehydration due to inadequate fluid intake can be a significant problem during the neonatal period and thereafter. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the term newborn infants admitted to Gazi University Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for hypernatremic dehydration between June 2001 and June 2003 and compare the results with those of the literature search performed via MEDLINE for infants with the same diagnosis. Methods: Infants with weight loss ≥10% were evaluated for hypernatremia and the ones with serum Na level ≥150 mEq/L were admitted to NICU. Long-term follow-up evaluations were performed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development I (BSID I) and Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener (BINS) tests. Results: Between June 2001 and June 2003, 28 newborns were admitted to NICU with hypernatremic dehydration. Literature review found 178 newborns with the same diagnosis since 1979 and detailed information was available for 150 patients. In the study and MEDLINE groups, respectively mean days of admission were 3.39 and 11.7; mean serum sodium, 156.5 and 178.6 mEq/L; and mean % weight loss, 11.5 and 25.7. Long-term follow up was performed in 15 patients from the study group, and two patients were found to be severely neurologically delayed. Five patients were found to have moderate risk scores by BINS tests. Conclusions: Early follow-up visits of newborns soon after discharge are important to determine risk for hypernatremic dehydration. Long-term follow up of this group of babies is also required to gather knowledge about the repercussions of early hypernatremic dehydration later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causes and risk factors of symptomatic spontaneous pneumothorax in term newborns are not completely understood. In the present study, our aim was to investigate the risk factors for and clinical and laboratory characteristics of term newborns with spontaneous symptomatic pneumothorax and to evaluate the outcome of management in this condition. A total of 11 term newborns admitted to the newborn intensive care unit with a diagnosis of symptomatic spontaneous pneumothorax were included during a 22-month period. Female to male ratio was 4:7, mean gestational age was 39.5 weeks, and 63% were delivered with a cesarean section, 18% of patients had renal and 55% had congenital cardiac anomalies. Rate of cardiac anomalies was more frequent in the study group compared to control group. Echocardiography in addition to renal ultrasonography may also be needed in term newborns with spontaneous symptomatic pneumothorax and further studies may be warranted to evaluate this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently isolated peptide hormone, hepcidin, is thought to be the principal regulator of iron homeostasis. Hepcidin acts by limiting intestinal iron absorption and promoting iron retention in reticuloendothelial cells. Its precursor peptide form is called pro-hepcidin. The aims of this study were to determine serum pro-hepcidin levels in healthy preterm and term newborns, and to assess possible relationships between pro-hepcidin and serum iron, serum ferritin, and transferrin. A serum sample was collected from each of 26 healthy preterm (gestational age [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]