Active clinical trials for "Premature Birth"

The purpose of this study is to examine the blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the brain and gut in preterm babies while they are supported with two modes of breathing machine and compare these two methods to see if one allows for better blood flow to the brain and gut.

The thymus gland is a specialized organ in the chest that plays a central role in the adaptive immune system throughout development until puberty. In response to stress, the fetal thymus gland may shrink, or involute. The investigators propose a prospective cohort study that will enroll pregnant women admitted to labor and delivery for the management of preterm labor and/or preterm premature rupture of membranes from 28-36 weeks gestation. Based on sonographic thymus measurements, the investigators will develop a clinical prediction tool to identify babies who are at increased risk for adverse neonatal outcomes. A reliable non-invasive predictor of adverse neonatal outcome using thymic ultrasound measurements has the potential to affect clinical management, improve outcomes for premature babies, and direct further research efforts.

This study is designed to compare the skin lipid and protein composition between term and premature infants and determine how the skin composition changes over the first four weeks of life. The investigators hope to elucidate the unique characteristics of premature skin by measuring the lipid and protein content in skin, how it changes during the first month of life, and how it varies with formula feeding versus breast feeding. Additionally, the investigators will study the relationships among diet, skin composition and plasma lipids in premature infants over the first four weeks of life.

This is a prospective cohort, enriched with women with a prior term birth, of singleton pregnancies who will be followed for the outcome of preterm birth. The main exposure of interest is the characterization of the cervico-vaginal microbiota. Women will be recruited from a population seeking routine obstetrical care at obstetrical practices at Penn. They will have three research visits during pregnancy to complete questionnaires and collect samples of cervico-vaginal fluid and cervical cells. Outcome data will be collected about the prenatal events and timing of delivery.

To determine the rate of Composite Neonatal Morbidity for very preterm babies delivered secondary to preterm labor (PTL) vs. prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM). Composite neonatal morbidity is defined as ≥ 1 of the following: Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) (oxygen requirement, clinical diagnosis, and consistent chest radiograph), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (requirement for oxygen support at 28 days of life), severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (grades III or IV), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), blood culture-proven sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), or perinatal death (stillbirth or death before neonatal hospital discharge.

Breastfeeding is recommended for preterm infants. Development of breastfeeding is an important issue, requiring the involvement of medical and paramedical staff in neonatal units. There are few data concerning the fathers of preterm infants. However, the role of the father is identified in the literature as a key factor in the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. In our neonatal unit care, reasons for breastfeeding high rates are not identified but may be related to the father being in close and constant contact with the medical and paramedical staff. In fact, fathers are often first in contact with caregivers. They can be invested in the implementation of nursing care, skin to skin, as well as being asked to support the development of their child in the service and at home. The aims of this study are to: Analyze the beliefs, social representations and the experience of the fathers of premature infants hospitalized in intensive care unit concerning breastfeeding. Analyze the factors facilitating and inhibiting the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Consider strategies of care and support that can be used for the families of premature infants and of children born at term. Explore the expectations of medical staff with regards to the management of children and families, their practices, identify the role attributed to the father. Initiate and facilitate reflexivity of medical and paramedical staff about their respective practices

The purpose of the study is to describe the dynamics of the microbiome in the premature infant as a means to adapt the premature infant gut to affect better health outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of 250 mg of intramuscular progesterone biweekly can reduce the incidence of preterm labor in patients with an episode of threatened preterm labor during the current pregnancy.

The aim of the study is to evaluate our 10 year experience of retinopathy of prematurity screening.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) is an essential regulator for the homeostasis, circulatory and respiratory systems. Heart rate variability, under the dependence of the parasympathetic and orthosympathetic arms is a peripheral witness of its well functioning. Activity ANS indices are technically measurable from the birth by non invasive cardiac monitoring: in given environmental conditions. According to the individualized care given to the baby, we can easily observe by frequential analysis, modifications of ANS level activity; If for a full-term newborn, the balance of ANS allows him to adapt its cardiac frequency to its internal and external environment (thermoregulation, baroreflex, sinus arrhythmia, awakening state) , the premature birth is at the origin of a prolonged defect of global ANS maturation, probably induced by external environmental and stress factors (pain, stimulations, aggressive noise and lights). This disrupted maturation profile in case of prematurity, was confirmed in two preliminary studies on premature babies reaching term for gestational age. We hypothesis that adapted sensorimotor care could decrease this stress and optimize the ANS activity profile. In a prospective study, by a non invasive real-time measure, we analyse impact of stress on ANS activity in a premature population, hospitalized in our neonatal intensive care units.