Quo vadis neonatologia? Where is neonatology heading in the 21st century?

Abstract

Introduction: This comprehensive narrative review examines current paradigms, emerging trends, and future directions in neonatology through systematic analysis of contemporary literature, clinical practice patterns, and expert consensus. We synthesized evidence from recent publications, international guidelines, and clinical innovations to identify key transformation areas.

Content: Several critical areas are reshaping neonatology. Gestational age has emerged as a lifelong health determinant with implications extending far beyond the neonatal period, affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental outcomes throughout life. Global disparities in neonatal care remain unconscionably large, with survival rates for 28-week infants exceeding 90 % in high-income countries while similar infants in low-resource settings often die from preventable causes. Artificial intelligence applications are revolutionizing predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and decision support systems, though implementation requires careful attention to bias, transparency, and human oversight. The neonatal microbiome's crucial role in immune development and long-term health has prompted interventions targeting healthy colonization. Salutogenic approaches emphasizing health promotion rather than disease treatment are gaining recognition. Most significantly, the systematic marginalization of mothers in neonatal care is being challenged, with growing recognition of the mother-infant dyad as the fundamental unit of care.

Summary and outlook: Future neonatal care must balance technological advancement with humanistic values, addressing global disparities while maintaining scientific rigor. Success requires committing to global health equity, embracing ethical complexity at viability margins, recognizing maternal centrality, thoughtfully integrating emerging technologies, implementing salutogenic principles, and adopting lifelong health perspectives. The field's future depends on interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical reflection, and unwavering commitment to ensuring every newborn receives compassionate, high-quality care.