Other content tagged: follow-up
Join the RECAP preterm E-Learning course
You are a researcher in the fields of neonatology, epidemiology, and psychology and are interested to learn more about cohorts, registers, and the use of the RECAP preterm Cohort Platform? Discover the RECAP preterm E-Learning course! The RECAP preterm Cohort Platform is a sustainable, geographically diverse, and multidisciplinary database of national and European cohorts of babies born very preterm or with very low birth weight. It contains cohorts constituted over a 30-year time span and…
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Follow-up of neonatal and paediatric patients: An evaluation of three case studies
Data collection and follow-up are essential for neonatal care. At Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, the “Follow Me” programme was implemented and evaluated to gain insights into long-term health outcomes, and to improve follow-up care and practice in the end. Results show solid data collection but a lack of indicators to monitor the programme’s effectiveness and performance, and highlight a need for a more holistic approach to managing care services. To date, little is known…
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One- and two-year follow-up outcomes of the CARE-ROP study
The CARE-ROP study identified ranibizumab as an effective treatment to control acute retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disease that affects preterm babies. For 16 preterm children entering the follow-up period, their ophthalmologic- and neurodevelopment was assessed at the one-year and two-year visits post-baseline. The patients’ outcomes of ranibizumab usage are very reassuring regarding long-term safety. Yet, late reactivation of ROP can represent a challenge and calls for regular follow-ups. Retinopathy of prematurity is…
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Disparities in the follow-up of very preterm born children in Europe
With a letter issued in February 2021, a group of researchers presented an analysis of the cross-European disparities of routine follow-up services of children who were born very preterm (<32 weeks of gestational age (GA)). It was found that the mother’s sociodemographic characteristics and her perinatal situation were among the main factors regarding these disparities. Aiming to describe the use of follow-up services in Europe, the research team collected data from obstetric and neonatal records…
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Parents’ satisfaction with follow-up healthcare for their preterm born children and their suggestions for improvement
Follow-up healthcare for very preterm infants is crucial for their development, but the quality of care differs a lot across Europe. As parents of very preterm born children have experienced first-hand the follow-up care for their children, they can provide impactful ideas for improvements and future policies. In a Europe-wide study, the authors collected data from medical records and questionnaires that parents had filled out during the first five years of their preterm born child’s life. This study gathered data…
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New set of assessments released for follow-up evaluations of adults born preterm
The Adults Born Preterm International Collaboration (APIC) has released a set of Common Core Assessments for follow-up evaluations of adults who were born prematurely. On average, preterm born individuals face more physical and psychological challenges and social difficulties. To further investigate these health outcomes, meta-analyses and cross-validations of studies are important and therefore comparability of follow-up measures is crucial. The recommendations of APIC will help gather consistent measures to ensure cohesive datasets and therefore enable…
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The little hero’s house – a holistic follow-up concept from the Netherlands
A guest article by Dr Angelique Haringsma and Hiltje Heyman The idea was born along the football field. Our sons were in the same team and we were not only cheering for them because, during our conversations, we felt the same passion as we were both working in the care and cure section. Angelique Haringsma as a neonatologist and Hiltje Heyman as a family coach. The strange thing is that, while we are both working with premature babies and their…
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Series of RECAP cohorts – part 6: Follow-up of the POPS cohort in the Netherlands
Dr Sylvia van der Pal & Professor Erik Verrips In 1983, a unique nationwide cohort of 1.338 very preterm (below 32 weeks of gestation) or VLBW (birth weight below 1500 g) infants in the Netherlands was collected and followed at several ages; the POPS (Project On Preterm and Small for gestational age infants) cohort. The studies with the POPS cohort have provided insight into how Dutch adolescents who were born very preterm or VLBW reach adulthood. …
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Preterm babies are less likely to form romantic relationships in adulthood
Adults who were born preterm (under 37 weeks gestation) are less likely to have a romantic relationship, a sexual partner and experience parenthood than those born full term. The meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Warwick with data from up to 4.4 million adult participants showed that those born preterm are 28% less likely to ever be in a romantic relationship. A study of up to 4.4m adult participants has shown that those who were born preterm (under 37…
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First Romanian follow-up centre for preterm children
One in 10 babies in Romania is born to soon. However, there are no public facilities that offer integrated follow-up and care to continuously monitor the babies after long hospitalisation. In 2018, Asociatia Prematurilor opened a Centre of Excellence in Prematurity in Bucharest, featuring free interdisciplinary evaluation services for preterm babies and their families. The beneficiaries come from all over the country to reach psychologists, neonatologists, experienced therapists or nutritionists. The services consist of: Language and communication assessments (language disorders,…
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