The Incubator

Send us a textIn this week’s Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review several recent neonatal studies with direct implications for practice.They begin with the BORN trial from Italy, which investigated whether transfusing preterm infants with cord blood–derived red blood cells, rather than adult donor blood, could reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). While the intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference, per-protocol findings suggest potential benefits that warrant larger trials.Next, they review a large international cohort study of outcomes in infants born at 22–23 weeks, highlighting striking variability in survival and morbidity across networks, with Japan showing the highest survival rates.The EBNeo segment features Dr. Gabriel Altit discussing an Indian randomized trial comparing norepinephrine vs. dopamine as first-line therapy for neonatal septic shock. Although primary outcomes were similar, norepinephrine showed some favorable metabolic and perfusion markers.The hosts then cover a delivery room resuscitation study identifying expiratory tidal volumes of 4–5 ml/kg as key for successful lung aeration, a Canadian trial of atropine for neonatal intubation, and a retrospective study from Alabama on optimal timing and frequency of pulmonary hypertension screening in BPD.The episode concludes with a case report on the use of continuous glucose monitoring in a neonate with congenital hyperinsulinism.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textScreening for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: when, how often and does it matter? Gentle SJ, Carlo WA, Ambalavanan N.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Sep 5:fetalneonatal-2024-328405. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328405. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textOutcomes of Preterm Infants Born at 22 to 23 Weeks' Gestation in 11 International Neonatal Networks. Isayama T, Norman M, Kusuda S, Reichman B, Lehtonen L, Lui K, Adams M, Vento Torres M, Filippi L, Battin M, Guinsburg R, Modi N, Håkansson S, Klinger G, de Almeida MF, Helenius K, Bassler D, Su YC, Shah PS; International Network for Evaluation of Outcomes (iNeo) Investigators.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Aug 25:e252958. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2958. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textAtropine Versus Placebo for Neonatal Nonemergent Intubation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Afifi J, El-Naggar W, Hatfield T, Sandila N, Baier J, Narvey M.J Pediatr. 2025 Jul 9;286:114719. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114719. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40645282Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textRespiratory Targets Associated With Lung Aeration During Delivery Room Resuscitation of Preterm Neonates. Rub DM, Hsu JY, Weinberg DD, Felix M, Nadkarni VM, Te Pas AB, Kuypers KLAM, Davis PG, Ratcliffe SJ, Kirpalani HM, Foglia EE.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Aug 11:e252521. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2521. Online ahead of print.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textCord red blood cell transfusions for severe retinopathy in preterm neonates in Italy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Teofili L, Papacci P, Pellegrino C, Dani C, Cresi F, Remaschi G, Ansaldi G, Giannantonio C, Campagnoli MF, Vania B, Fabbri M, de Vera d' Aragona RP, Molisso A, Beccastrini E, Dragonetti A, Pasciuto T, Gabbriellini S, Baroni S, Serrao F, Purcaro V, Raffaeli G, Villa S, Prati D, Mondello I, Falcone A, Patti ML, Boggini T, Bergamaschi P, Lepore D, Franco FGS, Orazi L, Mozzetta I, Baldascino A, Valentini CG, Locatelli E, Albiani R, Besso FG, Cantone GV, Coscia A, Trimarchi A, Cavallaro G, Ghirardello S, Vento G.EClinicalMedicine. 2025 Aug 13;87:103426. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103426. eCollection 2025 Sep.PMID: 40838199 Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textDopamine versus epinephrine for neonatal septic shock: an open labeled, randomized controlled trial. Singh G, Bhaskar V, Batra P, Gupta P.J Perinatol. 2025 Aug 28. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02399-7. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40877444EBNEO Commentary: Review of the 'Norepinephrine Versus Dopamine for Septic Shock in Neonates: A Randomised Controlled Trial'. Altit G.Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul 23. doi: 10.1111/apa.70241. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40698742 No abstract available.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textContinuous glucose monitoring in a neonate with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and ABCC8 gene mutation. Iwańczyk P, Majewska A, Issat T, Hoffman-Zacharska D, Krajewski P, Lipska-Karpińska K.Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep. 2025 Jun 5;2025(2):e250002. doi: 10.1530/EDM-25-0002. Print 2025 Apr 1.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, Mbozu and Shelly-Ann are joined by Dr Kate Kan, Consultant Pediatrician and the director of the Neonatal Unit at theRegional hospital in Bamenda Cameroon. During the discussion, Dr Kan describes her journey from aspiring pediatrician to her current role as the head of the Neonatal Unit at her institution. She describes some of the challenges as well as  the progress that is being made to improve neonatal care in her region. Dr. Kan also highlights the impact of mentorship in her journey and shares her views on how  mentorship not only guides individual careers but also enhances neonatal care in resource-limited settings.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Dena Hubbard, neonatologist and Director of Quality at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital’s NICU. Dr. Hubbard is widely recognized for her leadership in trauma-informed care, physician well-being, and advocacy work within the American Academy of Pediatrics.She shares her journey from private practice to becoming a national voice for trauma-informed approaches in neonatal care. Dr. Hubbard explains how an early encounter with a NICU family transformed her understanding of parental stress, judgment, and resilience—and how that moment shaped her mission to change the way care is delivered. She outlines the principles of trauma-informed care and how these practices differ from traditional family-centered models, emphasizing curiosity over judgment and building trust across the care team.The conversation also explores physician wellness. Dr. Hubbard speaks candidly about burnout, the role of coaching and therapy, and how she redefined her professional path after personal challenges, including grief and illness. Her perspective offers both practical insights for the bedside and a message of hope for healthcare providers navigating stress and systemic pressures.This episode highlights the importance of culture change in NICUs and the value of caring for both families and providers.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!