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What are we actually compressing during neonatal CPR? This week on The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna dive into a provocative echocardiography study out of Edmonton showing that standard chest compressions in newborns likely target the right heart and great vessels — not the left ventricle. A small sample size, but a finding that anyone who ultrasounds hearts all day will instantly recognize.

Daphna presents a retrospective multicenter study from Nationwide Children's on antibiotic duration for Gram-negative bloodstream infections in the NICU. Short course (≤8 days) showed no treatment failures — while 14% of infants in the long duration group developed a multi-drug resistant organism infection. Eight days versus ten: does the difference matter? The data says yes.

Ben reviews a randomized controlled trial from UAB on early vitamin D supplementation in extremely preterm infants fed human milk. Eight hundred units daily for the first two weeks appears safe and effective at achieving vitamin D sufficiency — but did it move the needle on BPD? And is that even the right question to ask?

Daphna brings a QI paper from Levine Children's on universal social determinants of health screening across nine pediatric divisions, achieving 92% compliance and connecting thousands of families to resources through findhelp.org. A reminder that the tools are already there — we just have to use them.

The episode wraps with Ben, Daphna, and Eli discussing Colorado's landmark paid NICU leave law — the first in the nation to require employers to provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for parents with a baby in the NICU. What does the evidence say, and how do we advocate for this in our own states?

Science, equity, and advocacy — all in one episode.

Support the show

As 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!