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Other content tagged: news research

A pressing need for research to reduce nutritional uncertainties in preterm infant care: Findings from a European roundtable discussion with parent representatives

Clinical uncertainties regarding best practices on preterm nutrition will be addressed in a future randomised control trial. However, researchers first sought the views and experiences of parents of preterm babies and adults born preterm to consider them during the study design. The results of two roundtable discussions showed strong support for further research but also revealed variation in participants' knowledge about research trials and in information provided to parents during a baby's hospital stay. Researchers…
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Protocol for the effectiveness evaluation of the antenatal parenting programme “Baby Steps” on maternal outcomes: A Born in Broadford’s Better Start (BiBBS) study

Poor mental health during pregnancy and shortly after birth can have severe consequences for parents and children, requiring public health interventions to prevent psychological distress and achieve optimal health outcomes. However, there is little evidence of the effectiveness of such interventions, including a recent remote programme called “Baby Steps”, which aims to improve parental mental health and parent-infant bonding. A new evaluation was developed to assess “Baby Steps” through a quasi-experimental study. Its future results hope to interest researchers, families…
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Health-related quality of life in very and extremely preterm born children at the age of five years

A European study with more than 3600 participants measured how health-related quality of life in children at the age of five is affected by extreme and very preterm birth. The results show that quality of life is particularly lower in extremely preterm born children. Compared to children who are born at term, preterm born children often have a higher risk of mortality and developing serious complications. Children who are born before 28 weeks of gestation…
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Keeping parents and their babies close – results of an international study on implementation, facilitators, and barriers in neonatal units

Family integrated care (FICare) is important for parent and infant health. A recent study gives an overview of current facilitators and barriers to parent-infant closeness and zero-separation in hospitals in 19 countries. The findings show that the separation of parents and their babies is very common. The study found four themes that could help explain the challenges that families and healthcare professionals encounter: Culture, Collaboration, Capacities and Coaching. When mother and child are separated during…
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Parent-support intervention in end-of-life-care at a neonatal intensive care unit in China

A study conducted at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in China investigated the impact of parental involvement in the end-of-life-care (EOLC) of their preterm infants on parental depression and satisfaction with their child’s medical treatment. Parents who received the intervention spent time caring for their newborn in the final days of the infant’s life and experienced lower levels of depression and greater satisfaction with the care provided than those who opted for standard EOLC.…
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Experiences on delivery and breastfeeding practices in Beijing, China during Covid-19

A Chinese study compared women’s experiences who delivered before and during the lockdown regarding feeding practices and childbearing. Interestingly, breastfeeding was seemingly positively influenced by the lockdown, the study from Beijing shows. The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on all aspects of life, including pregnant and delivering women and their families. Despite the severity of the virus, the WHO recommended breastfeeding during the pandemic, when taking suitable precautions, as human milk is the optimal…
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Mothers’ experiences of early skin-to-skin contact vs. traditional separation approach after a very preterm birth

Researchers in Norway explored experiences of mothers of very preterm children regarding early skin-to-skin contact vs. a traditional separation approach. Mothers benefited from skin-to-skin contact as it ensured them the vitality of the infant, promoted bonding and gave them an overall positive, emotionally overwhelming experience. In the last decades, contact between mother and child immediately after birth has changed. Nowadays, skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is mostly promoted, which also applies to caesarean sections. According to the…
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Effects of growth differences during twin pregnancy on later life

Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands found that children who have received less nutrients during pregnancy compared to their identical twin sibling have a higher risk of developmental problems later in life. This disbalance in nutrient supply can be a health-related disadvantage affecting their entire life. Ten to 15 percent of twin pregnancies are characterised by an uneven distribution of the placenta. This means that one child receives a larger…
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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents

With the use of an online questionnaire, more than 5000 families in the region of South Tyrol, Italy, were asked about the consequences of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic for mental health and quality of life of children and adolescents. The results show that the pandemic was not only a burden for parents, but severely affected social and family life, media use, health and finally quality of life in children and adolescents (7-19…
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Relation between vaginal hygiene practices and spontaneous preterm birth

Researchers from the Netherlands wanted to find out if there is an association between vaginal hygiene practices before and during pregnancy and spontaneous preterm birth. As one of the results, the study suggests that there is a relation between the use of vaginal gel and spontaneous preterm birth. Therefore, a new potential risk factor could have been discovered with this research, and women should be informed about it. Every year, one in ten babies is…
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