Surveillance of congenital defects (CDs) consists of: case detection, data collection and submission, coding, classification, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of information. Developing surveillance systems allows countries to have their own data to assess the size of the problem, evaluate its impact from different perspectives and assess the effect of interventions.
Human milk (HM) is recognized for its safety, efficacy, availability and cost/effectiveness. Consequently, it is the best food for newborns, even if they are small, premature or sick.
Breastfeeding improves child survival, health and development.
HM has the potential to reduce morbidities and improve health, especially in those born extremely prematurely, as it contains bioactive substances with bactericidal, immunomodulatory, and gut maturation-inducing properties.
Applying emollient or moisturizing creams or any other product on the skin of newborns is not recommended.
At birth, human skin is covered with an acid mantle, which is key to maintaining the baby’s defenses. Although there is no scientific evidence about the harmful effects of emollients, no benefits have been demonstrated in their application.
Therefore, it is not recommended to apply emollients or other products on the skin. If in doubt, it is always advisable to ask your health care team.
Routine application of topical emollients is not recommended for the prevention of skin conditions in healthy full-term infants.
This recommendation was developed by the WHO Guidelines Development Group (GDG). The GDG agreed that there was insufficient evidence on the beneficial and harmful effects of routine application of topical emollients on healthy term newborns to prevent skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, dry skin and others.
Before organizing a neonatal transport system, there needs to be planning and coordination at the national and regional levels to align transport goals and objectives with those of the health system as a whole.
The planning process includes:
• Alignment of the objectives aimed to improve health system outcomes and transportation priority cases (and cases excluded).
• Estimation of the demand for care for each health problem selected and per region (met and unmet needs).
The primary responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the code rests with governments. Enforcement is most effective when this responsibility is shared among the main government agencies involved throughout the various stages of product commercialization.
- National legislation on the Code should indicate which government agencies are in charge of overseeing this and how it should be done.
- Manufacturers and vendors of human milk substitutes should monitor their own marketing practices at all levels.
Early childhood (from birth to 8 years of age) is key to achieving the maximum development of the human being. This stage comprises the most sensitive period for brain development and extends from pregnancy (during organogenesis), until 3 years after birth, when the greatest number of neural connections and circuits are formed and the maturation of the central nervous system gets completed.
Early childhood (birth to 8 years of age) is key to achieving a human being’s maximum developmental potential. This stage comprises the most sensitive period for brain development. This is the time of life when children's developmental potential is most susceptible to environmental stimuli and early experiences, which influence learning, health, behavior and, in the long term, adult social relationships and well-being.
In gestations with high risk of prematurity or potentially needing admission to the Neonatal Care Unit, prenatal admission is an opportunity for communication with the pregnant women.
Evidence-based counseling about the benefits of human milk feeding is a public health intervention that improves breastfeeding rates. Repeated prenatal informational interviews are more effective than isolated interventions and should be documented in the medical record.
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the most common defects of the central nervous system, with a strong impact on infant morbidity and mortality.
These are some of the milestones that can be highlighted about their evolution:
- 70s: advances in medical/surgical therapies lead to a significant reduction of sequelae and disability.