The Incubator

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In this week’s Journal Club, Ben and Daphna unpack a wide range of recent neonatal studies with pragmatic, practice-centered discussion. First, they explore a study on low-dose dexamethasone for BPD in preterm infants, showing potential benefits in brain development and motor outcomes—despite ongoing concerns about long-term effects. Next, they discuss a large dataset analysis of oxygen and respiratory support trajectories in extremely preterm infants, offering real-world FiO2 trends and benchmarks that may help frame clinical decisions and counseling.

They also examine the diagnostic limits of consumer-grade pulse oximeters, like the Owlet, comparing their accuracy to hospital-grade monitors—raising real concerns about missed events. A safe sleep initiative study offers evidence that modeling and education during birth hospitalization can improve post-discharge sleep practices, especially across different demographic groups. Finally, they review parent engagement with NICU-focused online health communities, identifying both the benefits and potential friction these platforms create in team-family communication.

From cerebral oxygenation during kangaroo care to the use of enemas in ELBW infants, this episode covers it all—with a focus on what clinicians can take back to the bedside.

Listen in and join the conversation. 

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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The new normal: parental use of online health communities in the NICU.

Adams SY, Tucker R, Lechner BE.Pediatr Res. 2022 Jun;91(7):1827-1833. doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01684-3. Epub 2021 Aug 17.PMID: 34404928

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Hydrostatic low-volume enemas in infants with birth weight ≤1000 g or gestational age ≤28 weeks: A controlled interventional study.

Stock T, Kamp AM, Waitz M, Riedl-Seifert T, Jenke AC.J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 8. doi: 10.1002/jpn3.70055. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40344423

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Neonatologists' perceptions of uncertainty: a national survey.

Rholl E, Krick JA, Leuthner SR, Pan AY, Challa SA, Kukora S.J Perinatol. 2025 Apr 19. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02292-3. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40253559 No abstract available.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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The effect of maternal position on cerebral oxygenation in premature infants during Kangaroo care: a randomised controlled trial.

Stapleton I, Murphy S, Vaughan S, Walsh BH, Natchimuthu K, Livingstone V, Dempsey E.J Perinatol. 2025 Apr 5. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02287-0. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40186001

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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A Hospital-Based Initiative for Infant Safe Sleep Practice.

Decker CM, Dunlevey E, Nguyen L, Stence KJ, McCarty E, Jean-Charles TG, Trego T, Ma ZQ.Pediatrics. 2025 Feb 1;155(2):e2024067659. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-067659.PMID: 39799962

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Diagnostic accuracy of an over-the-counter infant pulse oximeter for cardiorespiratory events.

Travers CP, Nakhmani A, Armstead KM, Benz RL, Foshee KM, Carlo WA.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 May 12:fetalneonatal-2025-328540. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2025-328540. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40355254

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Trajectory of Postnatal Oxygen Requirement in Extremely Preterm Infants.

Groves AM, Bennett MM, Loyd J, Clark RH, Tolia VN.J Pediatr. 2025 Feb;277:114414. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114414. Epub 2024 Nov 20.PMID: 39577761

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Postnatal dexamethasone treatment for preterm infants at high risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia is associated with improved regional brain volumes: a prospective cohort study.

Chandwani R, Kline J, Altaye M, Parikh N.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 May 13:fetalneonatal-2024-328438. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328438. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40360237

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Today we are joined by Dr Radhika Madali, who is a third year NICU fellow from Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY. We talked about the QI efforts that she took during her fellowship in implementing faster enteral feed advancement and early fortification in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit. She shared the multidisciplinary experience that she developed with this project and also appreciates the support and mentorship she received. Radhika also shared insights on other projects that she got involved in- notably investigating the impact of glycemic variability on treatment-requiring ROP. She shared about her experience being a representative to the Fellowship Recruitment Action Team (FRAT) from the AAP Section on Pediatric Training.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!