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Fortified human milk is the first choice for preterm infants. Although individualized fortification is recommended, the optimal method for this population remains uncertain. We conducted a comparative study assessing the growth effects of adjusted (AF) and targeted fortification (TF) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. This single-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted at a tertiary neonatal unit in Spain. Eligible participants were premature infants with a birthweight of <1000 g exclusively fed with human milk. A total of 38 patients were enrolled, 15 of them randomized to AF group and 23 to TF group. AF was based on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and TF on human milk analysis. The primary outcome was weight gain velocity (g/kg/day). No significant differences were found in weight gain velocity at 28 days, at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, at discharge, nor during the intervention. Protein intake was significantly higher in the AF group (5.02 g/kg/day vs. 4.48 g/kg/day, p = 0.001). No differences were found in the lipid, carbohydrate, and energy intake; in the weight z score change between the different time points; nor in the length and head circumference growth. Both AF and TF are comparable methods of fortification and provide the appropriate growth rate in ELBW infants.

Background: FICare model has been evaluated mostly on the stable preterm infant.We have scaled the model to two implementation levels(basic/advanced),making it suitable for all high-risk neonates.We report on the short- and mid-term outcomes of infants enrolled in a pilot on FICare implementation at our NICU., Methods: During 52 months study period,families were invited to join the program if their newborns' admission required neonatal specialized care for at least 3 weeks,and trained according to the program's curricula.Following a rigorous sequential admission order,each case(FICare group:134 < 34 weeks;52 term newborns)was matched by a contemporary control(CC:134 < 34 weeks;52 term newborns)and 2 historical controls born within the 3 years prior to FICare site implementation(HC:268 < 34 weeks;104 term newborns),cared as usual RESULTS: FICare intervention started by the end of first week of postnatal life.Rates of breastfeeding during admission and at discharge,and direct breastfeeding upon discharge were higher in FICare compared to CC and HC.Duration of intermediate care hospitalization(preterm and term cohorts)and total hospital length of stay (term cohorts)were shorter in FICare group.Use of Emergency Services after discharge was also lower in the FICare group CONCLUSIONS: Short and mid-term efficacy of FICare on health outcomes and family empowerment in a broader and highly-vulnerable neonatal population supports its generalization in complex healthcare neonatal services., Impact Statement: Scaling the FICare model to the critically ill, unstable premature and term infant is feasible and safe. The early intervention shows similar benefits in the short- and mid-term infants' outcomes in the whole spectrum of neonatal specialized care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We examined behavior (Child Behavior Checklist) and family functioning (Family Impact Questionnaire) in 65 children with congenital cytomegalovirus. Behavioral problems were present in 30.8%. Parents of children with moderate/severe outcomes reported strain on all areas of family functioning. Behavioral problems were associated with negative impact on parental feelings and marital/partnership relationship. Our findings inform planning support services., Competing Interests: P.R.-M. is receiving a grant (Contrato Río Hortega; CM21/00174) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation—Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Fondos FEDER. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nosocomial infections are a frequent and serious problem in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Donor human milk (DHM) is the best alternative for feeding these babies when mother's own milk (MOM) is not available. Recently, a patented prototype of a High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurizer adapted to a human milk bank setting showed a lesser impact on immunologic components. We designed a multicentre randomized controlled trial that investigates whether, in ELBW infants with an insufficient MOM supply, the administration of HTST pasteurized DHM reduces the incidence of confirmed catheter-associated sepsis compared to DHM pasteurized with the Holder method. From birth until 34 weeks postmenstrual age, patients included in the study received DHM, as a supplement, pasteurized by the Holder or HTST method. A total of 213 patients were randomized; 79 (HTST group) and 81 (Holder group) were included in the analysis. We found no difference in the frequency of nosocomial sepsis between the patients of the two methods-41.8% (33/79) of HTST group patients versus 45.7% (37/81) of Holder group patients, relative risk 0.91 (0.64-1.3), p = 0.62. In conclusion, when MOM is not available, supplementing during admission with DHM pasteurized by the HTST versus Holder method might not have an impact on the incidence of catheter-associated sepsis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Background: Insulin might be associated with changes in infant gastrointestinal microbiota. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the efficacy of two doses of recombinant human(rh) enteral insulin administration compared to placebo in intestinal microbiota., Methods: 19 preterm patients were recruited at the NICU of La Paz University Hospital (Madrid, Spain). Subjects received 2000 µIU of rh enteral insulin/ml(n = 8), 400 µIU of rh enteral insulin/ml(n = 6) or placebo(n = 5) for 28 days administered once per day. Extracted DNA from fecal samples collected at the beginning and end of treatment were analyzed. The 16S rRNA V4 region was amplified and sequenced in a Miseq(Illumina®) sequencer using 2 × 250 bp paired end. Resulting reads were filtered and analyzed using Qiime2 software. Metabolic activity was assessed by GC., Results: Gestational age and birth weight did not differ between groups. At the phylum level, both insulin treated groups increased the relative abundance of Bacillota, while Pseudomonadota decreased. No change was observed in infants receiving placebo. At the genus level, insulin at both doses showed enriching effects on Clostridium. We found a significant increase in concentrations of fecal propionate in both rh insulin treated groups., Conclusion: Rh insulin may modify neonatal intestinal microbiota and SCFAs in preterm infants., Impact Statement: Decrease of Pseudomonadota (former Proteobacteria phylum) and increase of Bacillota (former Firmicutes phylum) obtained in this study are the changes observed previously in low-risk infants for NEC. The administration of recombinant enteral insulin may modify the microbiota of preterm new-borns and SCFAs. Modulation of the microbiota may be a mechanism whereby insulin contributes to neonatal intestinal maturation and/or protection., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Aim: This study aimed to summarise the views and experiences of the participants in the workshop of the XIII International Conference on Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)., Methods: The results of the discussions held during the workshop of the XIII International Conference on KMC were summarised. There were 152 participants from 47 countries. Four main KMC topics were discussed: good practices, immediate implementation, nutrition and basic ventilation., Results: Several agreements were reached, namely that professional societies and governments should develop official recommendations to promote KMC as standard care for preterm and low birth weight infants and that parents should be involved as active caregivers in neonatal care units. Moreover, the criteria for referring community-born infants to KMC require standardisation. Important inequalities in resource availability among high-, middle- and low-income countries were recognised for all topics. Specific needs were identified for parenteral nutrition and fortifiers, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and oxygen blenders, which are rarely available in low- and middle-income countries. Immediate implementation of KMC was discussed as a new concept. Its benefits were recognised, but its application has some variability., Conclusion: Adequate preterm care requires a basic neonatal package, including KMC, nCPAP, immediate management protocols and adequate nutrition and feeding strategies. The differences in resources among high-, middle- and low-income countries highlight the wide disparities in neonatal care according to the place of birth., (© 2023 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) has been considered more prevalent among HIV-exposed children during pregnancy. Spanish national guidelines recommend the cCMV screening in these newborns. Nowadays, pregnant women have a better control of HIV infection compared to previous decades. We aim to analyze the prevalence and associated risk factors to cCMV in these children., Methods: A retrospective cross-sectorial study was performed. All newborns exposed to HIV were assisted in a third-level hospital (2014-2020). Epidemiological and clinical data of the mother and newborn were recorded. Shell vial urine culture and/or CRP were performed along the two first weeks of life for the neonatal screening of cCMV., Results: Overall 69 newborns were enrolled. A high proportion (82.4%) of the mothers had been diagnosed with HIV before getting pregnant. All women received ART during the pregnancy. Median T-CD4 lymphocytes before delivery was 641/mm3 (IQR: 480-865) and the viral load was undetectable in 83.6%. Serological test for CMV along the first trimester of pregnancy was performed in 73.5% (positive IgG in 96%). There were no congenital cases of HIV neither cCMV (CI 95%:0-5.3%)., Conclusions: The cCMV prevalence in newborns exposed to HIV was 0%, lower than reported before, probably related to a better and earlier ART during pregnancy, leading to a better immunological status., (©The Author 2022. Published by Sociedad Española de Quimioterapia. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).)

Introduction: In 2017, a worldwide survey was conducted on compliance with the practices promoted by Neo-BFHI (Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative expansion to neonatal wards)., Objective: To present the results of the Spanish wards that participated in the global survey and compare them with those obtained internationally., Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study through a survey on compliance with the Neo-BFHI ("Three basic principles", "Ten steps adapted to neonatal wards" and "the compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes" and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions). Compliance was calculated as the mean in each indicator and a final mean score for each neonatal unit. For the partial and final scores for each country and at the international level, the median was used. All scores ranged between 0 and 100., Results: The response rate in Spain was 90%. The range of the national mean for neonatal wards were from 37 to 99, with no differences in the final score according to the level of care. The global score for Spain (72) is below the international median (77) and this also occurs in 8 of 14 items. The neonatal wards from BFHI designated hospitals, obtained a significantly higher mean global score, and in 9 of 14 items than the non-accredited ones., Conclusions: Both international and national results indicate an improvement in breast feeding practices in neonatal units. The benefits of the BFHI accreditation of maternity reach neonatal wards. Spain has several key points below the international score., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Introduction: In 2017, a worldwide survey was conducted on compliance with the practices promoted by Neo-BFHI (Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative expansion to neonatal wards)., Objective: Present the results of the Spanish wards that participated in the global survey and compare them with those obtained internationally., Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study through a survey on compliance with the Neo-BFHI ("Three basic principles", "Ten steps adapted to neonatal wards" and "the compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes" and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions). Compliance was calculated as the mean in each indicator and a final mean score for each neonatal unit. For the partial and final scores for each country and at the international level, the median was used. All score ranged between 0 and 100., Results: The response rate in Spain was 90%. The range of the national mean for neonatal wards were from 37 to 99, with no differences in the final score according to the level of care. The global score for Spain (72) is below the international median (77) and this also occurs in 8 of 14 items. The neonatal wards from BFHI designated hospitals, obtained a significantly higher mean global score, and in 9 of 14 items than the non-accredited ones., Conclusions: Both international and national results indicate an improvement in breastfeeding practices in neonatal units. The benefits of the BFHI accreditation of maternity reach neonatal wards. Spain has several key points below the international score., (Copyright © 2021. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Background & Aim: Worldwide, measures are being implemented to eradicate hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses, which can be transmitted from the mother during childbirth. This study aims to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV in pregnant women in Spain, focusing on country of origin, epidemiological factors and risk of vertical transmission (VT)., Methodology: Multicentre open-cohort study performed during 2015. HBV prevalence was determined in 21870 pregnant women and HCV prevalence in 7659 pregnant women. Epidemiological and risk factors for VT were analysed in positive women and differences between HBV and HCV cases were studied., Results: HBV prevalence was 0.42% (91/21870) and HCV prevalence was 0.26% (20/7659). Of the women with HBV, 65.7% (44/67) were migrants. The HBV transmission route to the mother was unknown in 40.3% of cases (27/67) and VT in 31.3% (21/67). Among risk factors for VT, 67.7% (42/62) of the women had viraemia and 14.5% (9/62) tested HBeAg-positive. All of the neonates born to HBV-positive mothers received immunoprophylaxis, and none contracted infection by VT. In 80% (16/20) of the women with HCV, the transmission route was parenteral, and nine were intravenous drug users. Viraemia was present in 40% (8/20) of the women and 10% (2/20) were HIV-coinfected. No children were infected. Women with HCV were less likely than women with HBV to breastfeed their child (65% vs. 86%)., Conclusions: The prevalences obtained in our study of pregnant women are lower than those previously documented for the general population. Among the women with HBV, the majority were migrants and had a maternal family history of infection, while among those with HCV, the most common factor was intravenous drug use. Despite the risk factors observed for VT, none of the children were infected. Proper immunoprophylaxis is essential to prevent VT in children born to HBV-positive women., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with congenital microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental abnormalities. There is little published research on the effect of maternal ZIKV infection in a non-endemic European region. We aimed to describe the outcomes of pregnant travelers diagnosed as ZIKV-infected in Spain, and their exposed children., Methods: This prospective observational cohort study of nine referral hospitals enrolled pregnant women (PW) who travelled to endemic areas during their pregnancy or the two previous months, or those whose sexual partners visited endemic areas in the previous 6 months. Infants of ZIKV-infected mothers were followed for about two years., Results: ZIKV infection was diagnosed in 163 PW; 112 (70%) were asymptomatic and 24 (14.7%) were confirmed cases. Among 143 infants, 14 (9.8%) had adverse outcomes during follow-up; three had a congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), and 11 other potential Zika-related outcomes. The overall incidence of CZS was 2.1% (95%CI: 0.4-6.0%), but among infants born to ZIKV-confirmed mothers, this increased to 15.8% (95%CI: 3.4-39.6%)., Conclusions: A nearly 10% overall risk of neurologic and hearing adverse outcomes was found in ZIKV-exposed children born to a ZIKV-infected traveler PW. Longer-term follow-up of these children is needed to assess whether there are any later-onset manifestations.

Background Mothers of preterm (PT) infants have difficulty providing adequate quantities of human milk (HM) for their babies during their hospital stay. The macronutrient content in HM changes over time, varying across and within individual mothers. The research aim of the strudy was to describe the intake of mothers' own milk (MOM) and its composition according to gestational (GA) and postnatal age (PNA) in infants born <32 weeks' GA and to correlate them with neonatal weight, length and morbidities. Methods A prospective observational study of 176 premature infants in a unit without a donor milk bank was conducted. Daily milk intake was recorded. HM macronutrients were determined by mid-infrared spectrophotometric analysis at 7, 15 and 30 days after delivery and monthly until hospital discharge. Results Intake of MOM increased during the first 2 weeks after birth and decreased steadily thereafter. Protein concentration varied inversely with PNA. Carbohydrate and lipid concentrations increased over the first few days and remained stable thereafter. A fall in weight percentiles from birth to 60 days was found. No correlation was found between total protein and calorie intakes at 3 and 15 days of life and growth velocity (GV) between 15 and 30 days, even when broken down into parenteral nutrition (PN), formula and MOM. Conclusion To improve MOM feeding in PT newborns, intensive support strategies at the prenatal stage along entire hospitalization income should be encouraged. New protocols for fortification of HM should be implemented to optimize postnatal weight gain while preserving the health benefits of HM.