Brain injury in the premature infant is composed of multiple lesions, traditionally described as germinal matrix intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with or without parenchymal involvement, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). These mostly focal lesions mainly affecting white matter have,…
Normal development of the human central nervous system (CNS) encompasses several steps, including neuroectoderm induction, neurulation, cell proliferation and migration, programmed cell death, neurogenesis and elimination of excess neurons, synaptogenesis, stabilization and elimination of synapses, gliogenesis, and myelination ( Table…
Certain viruses seem to have a predilection for the fetus and may cause abortion, stillbirth, intrauterine infection, congenital malformations, acute disease during the neonatal period, or chronic infection with subtle manifestations that may be recognized only after a prolonged period.…
Fungal infections in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) remain an important health problem associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Invasive fungal infections encompass infections largely caused by Candida species and with a small portion caused by Aspergillus , Zygomycetes…
Neonatal Sepsis Newborns are extremely susceptible to infection, and sepsis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Neonatal sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) that is secondary to infection. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome is…
Birth represents a functional watershed in the developing immune system. In utero, the fetus is exposed to a constant barrage of “foreign” antigens that are derived mainly from the mother and must downregulate its immune responses to survive. However, after…
Misuse or abuse of certain illicit and prescription drugs in the United States adversely affects public health in diverse ways and substantially increases overall health care expenditures. Some antenatal drug exposures can produce significant short-term consequences or serious permanent long-term…
The safe and effective use of medications in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) requires an understanding of the principles of pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) that guide individual dosing and aim to provide drug exposures designed for the best…
It is not disputed that breastfeeding has many benefits for both mother and baby and is the optimal nutrition for infants. With an increase in education and support of breastfeeding mothers throughout the United States, the rate of breastfeeding is…
Fetal Drug Disposition The use of medications during pregnancy, prescription and over-the-counter, is a common and increasing occurrence. Multiple studies have demonstrated that approximately 90% of pregnant women take at least one medication during the pregnancy. The average number of…