|
|
Dear friends and supporters of GFCNI,
This fall, the global neonatal community will come together at jENS 2025 in Belgrade to share knowledge, discuss innovation, and shape the future of neonatal care. GFCNI is proud to once again bring the voice of families to the center of scientific dialogue. Through our sessions and workshops, we will highlight the importance of infant- and family-centered developmental care, equity, and meaningful collaboration between parents and professionals.
At the same time, research continues to depend on the active involvement of families. The BronQ Family Study is a current example of how lived experience can inform clinical progress. By collecting insights from parents and caregivers of preterm-born children across Europe and the United States, this study aims to improve long-term outcomes and guide better support for families worldwide.
By uniting science, practice, and family perspectives, we can create sustainable change that benefits every newborn.
With warm regards,
Silke Mader and the GFCNI team
|
|
© MCA
|
GFCNI AT jENS 2025
Shaping the Future of Neonatal Care
At this year’s jENS Congress in Belgrade, Serbia, GFCNI will once again represent the voice of families at the heart of neonatal science. From October 21–25, GFCNI will host and co-chair six sessions and two workshops dedicated to key topics such as infant- and family-centered developmental care, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), nutrition, pain management, safety, and parent involvement. You will also find us at the opening ceremony and lunch symposium on enteral nutrition. From sharing best practices to advocating for meaningful parental involvement in NICU care, we look forward to connecting with healthcare professionals, researchers, and parent representatives across Europe and beyond.
|
|
© GFCNI
|
PARTICIPANTS NEEDED
Support Research: Join the BronQ Family Study!
We are excited to announce that the BronQ Family questionnaire is now live! This international research project examines the challenges families face after preterm birth, particularly in relation to lung conditions such as Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD). By gathering insights on family experiences and quality of life, the study aims to inform better support and care in the future. We are inviting parents and primary caregivers of preterm born children under 18 from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK (including Northern Ireland), or the US – whether their child has chronic lungs conditions or not – to participate in a confidential online survey and help spread the word.
|
|
© GFCNI
|
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
The Psychosocial Impact of HDFN: Families Need More Than Medical Care
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is a rare condition that arises during pregnancy and profoundly affects the emotional and social lives of families. Loss, grief, stress, anxiety, and the need for self-advocacy are recurring themes reported by affected families. This September, our HDFN campaign highlights these psychosocial impacts by sharing the story of Carrie Yavuz, an educational psychologist and bereaved mother. Through our social media channels, she raises awareness of the emotional toll of HDFN and shares her hopes for the future with healthcare professionals. Visit our campaign page to watch her full story, explore how families experience HDFN beyond the clinical setting, and access additional resources for healthcare professionals, including a poster on the psychosocial impacts of HDFN co-authored by Carrie Yavuz and presented at the ISUOG World Congress 2025.
|
|
© Pixabay
|
CLINICAL GUIDELINES
New Guideline on Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy Released
The German, Austrian, and Swiss Societies of Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG, OEGGG, SGGG) have published a revised S2k guideline on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Key updates include lower target blood pressure levels, expanded guidance on postpartum and long-term maternal and child health, and stronger emphasis on interdisciplinary cooperation. GFCNI’s Chairwoman, Silke Mader, contributed as a co-author, ensuring the family perspective is reflected. The guideline provides a comprehensive framework to improve outcomes for women affected by hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
|
|
© The Implementation Toolkit for Small and Sick Newborn Care
|
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Essay Contest: Share Your Vision for Collaborative Neonatal Care
“How can a neonatal care team with multiple professional backgrounds overcome hierarchies to improve quality of care and enable families at the center?” This is the question posed by the Implementation Toolkit for Small and Sick Newborn Care (SSNC) for their 2025 essay competition. If you have new ideas for your newborn care unit or for SSNC in your country, submit your essay! Anyone working in or from a low- or middle-income context and with an interest in SSNC is welcome to participate, including parents, healthcare professionals, and biomedical engineers (except for winners from 2023 and 2024). Winners will receive a prize of £500 and be published in the Journal of African Neonatology, among other benefits. Essays must be no more than 3,000 words in length, written in English or French, and cite at least five resources from the Implementation Toolkit for SSNC to support their case. The deadline is October 10, 2025, at 1 p.m. UK time. The contest is sponsored by the Chiesi Foundation.
|
|
© Pexels
|
GLOBAL ADVOCACY
“Born Too Soon” Campaign Empowers Voices to Drive Change in Preterm Care
The “Born Too Soon” campaign demonstrates how storytelling can transform awareness and action on preterm birth, which affects more than 13 million infants annually. By ethically gathering and sharing narratives from families and health workers across diverse settings, the initiative highlights both the challenges and resilience surrounding preterm birth. These personal accounts underscore the importance of compassionate, family-centered care and expose the gaps in overstretched health systems. GFCNI contributed to shaping this global effort, with Chairwoman Silke Mader co-authoring the recently published article. The campaign shows that lived experience is an essential catalyst for improving maternal and newborn care worldwide.
|
|
© Pexels
|
CHILD HEALTH
Building Resilience: Supporting Mental Well-Being in Preterm-Born Children
A new study of more than 1,500 children in Germany and the UK identifies key factors that help preterm-born children achieve better mental health outcomes. Researchers found that strong self-regulation skills, close parent-child relationships, and protection from bullying were central to resilience, regardless of cultural context or early adversity. Additional influences included supportive sibling bonds, stimulating home environments, and safe neighborhoods. These findings emphasize that families, healthcare providers, and educators can take practical steps to strengthen protective elements, showing that targeted support can significantly improve emotional well-being in children born too soon.
|
|
© Pexels
|
FAMILY-CENTERED CARE
Close Collaboration with Parents Transforms Neonatal Care Culture
The “Close Collaboration with Parents” program, developed in Finland, is reshaping neonatal intensive care by positioning parents as active partners in their infant’s care. Through comprehensive staff training, NICUs across 26 hospitals adopted practices that foster open communication, shared decision-making, and daily parental involvement. Results include improved infant growth, shorter hospital stays, greater parental confidence, and reduced maternal depressive symptoms. Nurses reported a shift from delivering care to empowering parents, creating a more supportive and equitable culture. This model demonstrates that integrating families into all aspects of care yields measurable medical and emotional benefits.
|
|
|
|
