Morris Cohen, David R Brown, Bellipady Rai, Alla Kushnir, Benjamin Planer, Deepak Jain, Michael M Myers
{"title":"Growth disparities among NICUs: insights from the New Jersey statewide neonatal collaborative.","authors":"Morris Cohen, David R Brown, Bellipady Rai, Alla Kushnir, Benjamin Planer, Deepak Jain, Michael M Myers","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02871-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02871-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine how much of the variability in growth of preterm infants is related to differences among NICUs.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>The contribution of NICU of care and infant characteristics to variability in growth (weight Z-scores changes, birth to discharge) were quantified for 4459 infants (23<sup>0</sup>-29<sup>6</sup> weeks) in the New Jersey NICU Collaborative from 2014 to 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Despite increases in growth of preterm infants over years, substantial variability in growth persists. The largest contributor to this variability was the NICU of care. Adjusting for GA at birth and birth weight, race, ethnicity, and major morbidities, the effect of NICU of care remained highly significant (p < 0.001) and accounted for over 13% of the variance in growth.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is substantial variation in growth, with NICU of care being the largest source of identified variability. Different feeding strategies and actual nutrient delivery need to be further investigated to reduce these disparities.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Important considerations in interpreting neonatal blood culture time-to-positivity.","authors":"Hannah N Rodriguez, Rana F Hamdy","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02872-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02872-x","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicolas P Goldstein Novick, Scott A Lorch, Joshua K Radack, Molly Passarella, Timothy D Nelin, Elizabeth G Salazar, Sara C Handley
{"title":"Level III neonatal intensive care unit heterogeneity in patients, services, and outcomes.","authors":"Nicolas P Goldstein Novick, Scott A Lorch, Joshua K Radack, Molly Passarella, Timothy D Nelin, Elizabeth G Salazar, Sara C Handley","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02846-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41372-026-02846-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Level III NICUs share one AAP level of care designation. We characterized variation, identified sub-classes, and compared sub-class outcomes.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>This retrospective cohort analysis of level III NICUs in Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina used linked hospital discharge-vital statistics data (2010-2020). Included hospitals had ≥10 births annually and infants had gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1500 g. We characterized NICU-level heterogeneity; used latent class analysis (LCA) to obtain sub-classes; and compared risk-adjusted outcomes with multivariable Poisson regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 163 NICUs (1518 hospital-years) there was significant variation. LCA identified five sub-classes (3a-e). Preterm volume and procedural intensity rose with acuity (3a lowest, 3d/3e highest). Higher acuity was associated with lower mortality but higher morbidity (3d vs. 3a: death: IRR 0.59 [95% CI 0.54-0.65]; morbidity: 2.84 [2.43-3.31]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Level III NICUs are heterogeneous and comprise five sub-classes with divergent outcomes. Sub-classification may facilitate risk-appropriate care.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kalsang Dolma, Fabien Eyal, Diksha Shrestha, Bianca Vamesu, Mary Bernadette Munn, Manimaran Ramani, Michael Zayek
{"title":"Outcomes at 21 weeks' gestation: a case series with neurodevelopmental follow-up.","authors":"Kalsang Dolma, Fabien Eyal, Diksha Shrestha, Bianca Vamesu, Mary Bernadette Munn, Manimaran Ramani, Michael Zayek","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02866-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02866-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To describe survival, short- and long-term outcomes of infants born at 21 weeks' gestation who received neonatal resuscitation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Single-center retrospective case series of infants born at 21 + 0/7 to 21 + 6/7 weeks resuscitated from 2004-2024. Resuscitation was offered to selected infants with early physiological stability and, preferably, birth weight > 400 g. Outcomes were compared between 2004-2012 and 2013-2024.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among resuscitated infants, survival was 5/19 (26%) in period 1 and 6/16 (37%) in period 2. Lung morbidity and severe retinopathy of prematurity were higher in the later period. Of 11 survivors, 8 (73%) had 2- year follow-up; 3/8 (38%) had severe neurodevelopmental impairment (2/5 vs 1/3). Four survivors attended mainstream schools.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Survival at 21 weeks' gestation is limited to highly selected cases. These data add to the limited evidence base and may inform individualized counseling at this gestational age, where the role of routine neonatal resuscitation is not established.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148761406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clarification on the legal and training status of Neonatology in Spain.","authors":"Belen Fernandez-Colomer, Segundo Rite-Gracia","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02860-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41372-026-02860-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148723473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giulia P Lima, Abhinav Kummaragunta, Jimena G Ortega, Jonathan C Levin, Philip T Levy, Marlon Delgado, John Kheir, Sarah U Morton
{"title":"Physiologic signatures during extubation readiness trials in neonates >35 weeks' postmenstrual age.","authors":"Giulia P Lima, Abhinav Kummaragunta, Jimena G Ortega, Jonathan C Levin, Philip T Levy, Marlon Delgado, John Kheir, Sarah U Morton","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02861-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41372-026-02861-0","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148722655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Meg Stone-Heaberlin, Allison D Blackburn, Leanne Tamm, Armin Allahverdy, Beth Kline-Fath, Nehal A Parikh
{"title":"Early autism risk factors: a cohort study of children born very preterm at 5-years.","authors":"Meg Stone-Heaberlin, Allison D Blackburn, Leanne Tamm, Armin Allahverdy, Beth Kline-Fath, Nehal A Parikh","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02856-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41372-026-02856-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Explore the association of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors with autism risk at 5-years corrected age in very preterm (VPT) children.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Data from a longitudinal cohort study of 315 VPT and 172 term-born children at a US-based academic medical center were analyzed, exploring antecedents of autism risk using elastic net regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>More children born VPT (8.9%) had a Social Communication Questionnaire score associated with autism (i.e., SCQ ≥ 15) than term-born controls (2.9%; p = 0.012). For VPT children, cerebellar abnormalities at term-equivalent age (OR = 1.339, 95% CI = 1.010-1.778) and moderate-severe histologic chorioamnionitis (OR = 4.148, CI = 1.294-13.368) were significantly associated with autism risk, in addition to male sex and social risk. VPT children with SCQ ≥ 15 had poorer adaptive, behavioral, cognitive, and executive functioning (all ps < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Early screening for children with these risk factors can facilitate early intervention for those at most risk for poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148722962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ronald I Clyman, Nancy K Hills, Elizabeth E Rogers, Nadra E Lisha
{"title":"Bronchopulmonary dysplasia: its relationship to invasive modes of ventilation and the magnitude of respiratory support.","authors":"Ronald I Clyman, Nancy K Hills, Elizabeth E Rogers, Nadra E Lisha","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02852-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02852-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine whether the magnitude of respiratory support mediates the association between intubation/invasive ventilation and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Observational study of BPD (diagnosed at 40 weeks' postmenstrual age) using Poisson regression and Mplus mediation analyses in 544 consecutively admitted inborn infants <28 weeks' gestation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A change in guidelines emphasizing noninvasive ventilation led to a significant decrease in intubation rates. However, neither the magnitude of support nor the incidence of BPD-40 was decreased. While invasive ventilation at 1, 7 and 14 days was significantly associated with BPD-40 in multivariable regression and mediation analyses, its association appeared to be mediated by the magnitude of support (especially mean airway pressure), with no direct effect from the intubation/invasive ventilation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Reducing intubation/invasive ventilation may not impact the rate of BPD-40 unless the infant's need for high levels of respiratory support (even if delivered noninvasively) is also minimized.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148712772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Who pays the most for neonatal intensive care? An analysis of the out-of-pocket cost burden borne by NICU families.","authors":"Noelle Gorka, Jochen Profit, Ciaran S Phibbs","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02869-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-026-02869-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To document direct medical out-of-pocket (OOP) cost of NICU admissions and investigate structural contributions to differential cost burden.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Survey-weighted multivariable regression analyzed the relationship between OOP cost and structural covariates, in a cross-sectional study of 813 NICU patients with admissions reported in the 2000-2021 U.S. Medical Expenditures Panel Survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The OOP cost distribution was right-skewed with median = $0, IQR = $181, and range = $0-$58 584. Relative to a publicly-insured, lowest-income ( < 100% of FPL) reference group, covariates for insurance type and income bracket were significant to ≥95% confidence: costs were 11x higher for the privately-insured, 15x higher for the uninsured, and 1.4x higher per income bracket increase. Predicted mean costs for families with incomes <100% of FPL are: Public Only Insurance: $126; Any Private Insurance: $1382; Uninsured: $1916.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While NICU OOP costs appear lower among the publicly-insured, substantial costs burden privately-insured and uninsured families.</p>","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148712784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kyoung Eun Joung, Michael Prendergast, Olivia Marchioni
{"title":"Neonatal refeeding syndrome and postnatal growth in extremely low birth weight infants","authors":"Kyoung Eun Joung, Michael Prendergast, Olivia Marchioni","doi":"10.1038/s41372-026-02868-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41372-026-02868-7","url":null,"abstract":"We aimed to compare the first-week trajectories of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and glucose between small for gestational age (SGA) and non-SGA infants, and to evaluate the association between neonatal refeeding syndrome (RS) and postnatal growth and clinical outcomes. A retrospective cohort study of 122 ELBW infants. The overall incidences of hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypercalcemia, and hyperglycemia in the total population were 38.5%, 19.7%, 4.1%, 18.0%, and 49.2%, respectively. Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium levels were significantly lower in SGA infants than in non-SGA infants during the first week. The severity of RS was associated with growth failure (weight <10th percentile at NICU discharge, p = 0.0004) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, p = 0.005) despite less early weight loss and more rapid recovery to birth weight. Neonatal RS was associated with postnatal growth failure at discharge and BPD. Long-term follow up is warranted in infants with RS.","PeriodicalId":16690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Perinatology","volume":"46 9","pages":"1665-1672"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148712796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}