The Incubator
A weekly discussion about new evidence in neonatal care and the fascinating individuals who make this progress possible. Hosted by Dr. Ben Courchia and Dr. Daphna Yasova Barbeau.
The Incubator
#386 - 🟢 HOT TOPICS 2025 COVERAGE - 20 minutes of prophylactic CPAP for late preterm infants - The PLANT study
Dr. Edgardo Szyld from Indiana University presents the PLANT study evaluating 20 minutes of prophylactic CPAP for late preterm infants (34-36+6 weeks) born via cesarean section. This population represents 70% of US preterm births and experiences five times higher respiratory distress rates with cesarean delivery. The pragmatic pilot enrolled 100 patients, demonstrating reduced NICU admissions without pneumothorax cases—addressing previous safety concerns from observational data. Szyld's team is planning PLANT 2, targeting 35-36 weekers across 11 international centers, which will compare outcomes with and without antenatal steroids. This pragmatic approach addresses a high-volume but understudied population significantly impacting NICU resources.
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