European Neonatal Research

This title was first published in 2001. An important book presenting the results of the European Union funded EURICON project in biomedical ethics. Involving experts in eleven countries, this project was motivated by European neonatal clinicians’ concerns about the problem of obtaining informed consent in neonatal research. It addressed the difficulties of obtaining consent from subjects involved in such research, and investigated the relevance and appropriateness of obtaining consent from parents. The project also examined the work of Research Ethics Committees in Europe. It explored their responses to EURICON’s analysis of the views of clinicians and parents, and their attitudes towards the relevant laws and legal requirements. The wide geographical scope of the project enabled international comparisons of the opinions of clinicians and parents, the legal frameworks governing neonatal research, and the effectiveness of Research Ethics Committees. This is the first such investigation on a European scale, and it offers a unique interdisciplinary approach to these issues. Incorporating clinical, ethical, legal and sociological perspectives, the results and recommendations presented in this book will be of widespread significance to practitioners, researchers and policy makers throughout Europe and beyond.

This landmark book, a reference work now in its second edition, provides healthcare practitioners in neonatology with an up-to-date, comprehensive source of readily accessible practical advice that will assist in the expert management of patients and their diverse illnesses. Leading experts in their fields discuss the underlying causes and mechanisms and all aspects of the treatment of the full range of neonatal diseases and abnormalities, citing the evidence base whenever appropriate. In addition, detailed information is provided on epidemiology and fetal medicine; therapeutic issues such as the organization of care, transport services, and home care after discharge; legal issues; nutrition; and the consequences of medication use during pregnancy, maternal drug abuse and smoking, and maternal diabetes. The inclusion of summaries, tables, and carefully selected guidelines and recommendations will supply practitioners with quick references and instant solutions during daily practice. The book will be a superb resource for all involved in the care of newborn babies, including neonatologists, pediatricians, pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, midwives, and nursing staff. It is published within the SpringerReference program, which delivers access to living editions constantly updated through a dynamic peer-review publishing process.

This is the first book dealing with fetal pain and its consequences and with pain in premature babies. The volume gives an overview of the current knowledge in this field. An international team of renowned specialists evaluates neonatal and fetal pain from the different points of view, and possible consequences of pain – even psychological – on the brain. This book will be an invaluable resource for professionals and for post-graduate students in all disciplines.

Innovations and Frontiers in Neonatology provides up-to-date information for clinicians and scientists interested in perinatal medicine. Neonatal transition, neonatal medicine from a global perspective, aspects of care including nutrition, respiratory and temperature management, resuscitation, family-centered approaches, and problems of the term newborn are covered as are complications and long-term consequences of preterm birth. Should we ventilate and how? What are the lifelong consequences of being born too small? How can we protect the neonatal brain? Can we actively influence the microbiome? Can we achieve individualized medicine with the help of metabolomics, for example? Are stem cells the miracle cure? These are just a few of the questions that world experts cover in this book while, at the same time, they take a look at the future of neonatal medicine.

Each year, neonatal Intensive care units (NICUs) in the U.S. and around the world help thousands of sick or premature newborns survive. NICUs are committed to the ideals of family-centered care, which encourages shared decision-making between parents and NICU caregivers. In cases of infants with conditions marked by high mortality, morbidity, or great suffering, family-centered care affirms the right of parents to assist in making decisions regarding aggressive treatment for their infant. Often, these parents' difficult and intimate decisions are shaped profoundly by their religious beliefs. In light of this, what precisely are the teachings of the major world religious traditions about the status and care of the premature or sick newborn? Few studies have grappled with what major religious traditions teach about the care of the newborn or how these teachings may bear on parents' decisions. This volume seeks to fill this gap, providing information on religious teachings about the newborn to the multidisciplinary teams of NICU professionals (neonatologists, advance practice nurses, social workers), as well as to parents of NICU patients, and students of bioethics. In chapters dealing with Judaism, Catholicism, Denominational Protestantism, Evangelical Protestantism, African American Protestantism, Sunni and Shi'a Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Navajo religion, and Seventh Day Adventism, leading scholars develop the teachings of these traditions on the status, treatment, and ritual accompaniments of care of the premature or sick newborn. This is an essential book that will serve as a first resort for clinicians who need to understand the religious dynamics influencing anyone making a difficult decision about her sick newborn.

Improved conditions of care for premature infants have led to markedly increased survival rates over the last few decades, particularly in very low and extremely low birth weight infants. Nutritional measures play a central role in the long-term outcome, health and quality of life of these premature infants. In this publication, leading experts from all 5 continents present the most recent evidence and critical analyses of nutrient requirements and the practice of nutritional care (with the focus on very low birth weight infants) to provide guidance for clinical application. After the introductory chapters, covering nutritional needs and research evidence in a more general manner, topics such as amino acids and proteins, lipids, microminerals and vitamins, parenteral and enteral nutrition as well as approaches to various disease conditions are addressed. Due to its focus on critical appraisals and recommendations, this book is of interest not only for the researcher who wants to keep up to date, but also for the clinician faced with premature infants in his practice.

The Data Protection and Medical Research in Europe: PRIVIREAL series represents the results of this EC-funded project examining the implementation of Directive 95/46/EC on data protection in relation to medical research and the role of ethics committees in European countries. The series consists of five separate volumes following the complete development of the PRIVIREAL project. This volume relates to the second stage of this project and is concerned with the setting up and role of research ethics committees. It assesses their legal responsibilities, especially with regard to data protection matters and contains reports from more than 20 European countries on these issues. Focusing on the theoretical role and practical operation of research ethics committees and the impact of relevant international and national instruments, this volume will be an essential resource for all those concerned with data protection issues in medical research.