Prophylaxis for gonococcal eye infections in newborns advised

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has reaffirmed the recommendation for use of ocular prophylaxis for gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum. This recommendation forms the basis of a final recommendation statement published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Susan J. Curry, Ph.D., from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues used a reaffirmation deliberation […]

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Preterm newborns sleep better in NICU while hearing their mother’s voice

Hearing a recording of their mother’s voice may help neonates maintain sleep while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to preliminary data from a new study. About 10 percent of U.S. newborns require treatment in a NICU, which is a noisy environment that could influence the development of newborn sleep patterns. This study explored the possibility that infants’ […]

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Study reveals large differences in drug prescriptions for newborns between NICUs

Little is known concerning how extensively drugs are prescribed to newborns in different neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A new British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study of nearly 1,500 newborns admitted during 12 months to four different NICUs in The Netherlands found that drug use varies widely. Cardiovascular and nervous system drugs were most often prescribed off-label in relation to […]

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