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Dear friends and supporters of GFCNI,
In this edition, we look at how knowledge, collaboration, and careful clinical practice continue to shape better care for preterm and hospitalized newborns and their families.
At the “Do’s & Don’ts – Best Practice in Neonatology” Congress in Bratislava, our GFCNI Day brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates to discuss what high-quality neonatal care means in practice. The sessions reminded us that best practice is not defined by medical expertise alone, but also by how we support families, reduce pain and stress, strengthen nutrition, and plan care beyond discharge.
We also share updates from the IMPROVE PRETERM General Assembly in Oulu, where partners reviewed first results and prepared the next phase of research on lifelong health after very preterm birth. This work is especially important because the impact of very preterm birth does not end at the NICU door.
Finally, we highlight new safety insights on phototherapy in very preterm newborns. The findings offer reassurance while also underlining the importance of careful monitoring and avoiding unnecessary treatment.
I hope this edition offers useful perspectives for your work and encourages continued exchange across disciplines, professions, and countries.
Warm regards,
Silke Mader and the GFCNI team
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© UENPS
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Best Practice in Neonatology 2026
GFCNI Congress Day Highlights Best Neonatal Care
At the “Do’s & Don’ts – Best Practice in Neonatology” Congress 2026 in Bratislava, the GFCNI Day brought together more than 200 healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates with a shared commitment to improving care for small and sick newborns and their families. The sessions covered a wide range of topics, from nutrition and family involvement to coping with loss in the NICU and supporting children born preterm as they grow. Throughout the day, speakers shared practical ideas and new perspectives not only from research, but also from everyday care and lived experience. The discussions made clear that good neonatal care is about more than survival, it means supporting babies and families from the very beginning, with thoughtful planning, good nutrition, less pain and stress, close family involvement, and continued support over time. Read more about the congress day and the GFCNI sessions on our website.
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© GFCNI / IMPROVE PRETERM
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IMPROVING LIFELONG HEALTH FOR PREEMIES
From First Results to Next Steps: IMPROVE PRETERM Consortium Meets in Oulu
The IMPROVE PRETERM consortium gathered in Oulu, Finland, for its Second Plenary Meeting and General Assembly, bringing together partners to review progress from the project’s first 18 months and prepare the next phase of work. Discussions focused on early findings, research use cases, the development of the PARCA-CAT follow-up tool, data infrastructure through the RECAP Preterm platform, and the role of equity and lived experience in very preterm research. As the partner responsible for communication and dissemination, GFCNI also contributed to discussions on how project results can be shared clearly, meaningfully, and accessibly with researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, families, and the wider public.
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© GNPI
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SHAPING THE FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
GFCNI at GNPI 2026: Looking Beyond Borders in Neonatal Care
What can neonatal care learn when we look beyond our own systems? At GNPI 2026, GFCNI helped bring this question into focus through two sessions on international and intercultural perspectives. The program moved from Zero Separation, neonatal home care, breastfeeding support, congenital diaphragmatic hernia management, and Green ICU concepts to the realities families face every day, migration, language barriers, cultural expectations, and unequal access to care. The sessions made one thing clear: good neonatal care is not only about medical expertise. It is also about listening, understanding different family needs, and creating care that feels respectful, inclusive, and truly family-centered.
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© Unsplash
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THANK YOU
A Meaningful Donation in Support of Better Care for Newborns
GFCNI extends its sincere thanks to CARAG AG for its generous donation of £5,000, made in connection with the continued support and collaboration of Professor Nicholas Embleton, a long-time friend and partner of GFCNI. CARAG AG is a Swiss biomedical engineering company working on innovative approaches that may, after further testing, contribute to the detection of necrotizing enterocolitis. This contribution reflects a shared commitment to advancing newborn health and supporting work that can make a meaningful difference for babies and families. We are grateful to CARAG AG and Professor Embleton for their trust, generosity, and continued dedication to improving care for newborn infants.
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© Early Birds
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NICU Photo Project
Photo Project “Early Birds. The beginning of the path”
Preterm birth is a different beginning, not as imagined, but no less real and still full of love. The photo project “Early Birds. The beginning of the path” by our Ukrainian partner organization “Early Birds” (“Ranni Ptashky”) captures these first precious moments for families with preterm babies. Through her lens, photographer and preemie mother Dilara Olesyk documents life in neonatal units, preserving memories that become meaningful symbols of hope and proof of the path traveled. At the same time, these stories offer encouragement and support to families who are just beginning their own journey. After all, each little early bird begins their journey in their own way. Please note that the article is written in Ukrainian, but it can be easily translated using your browser.
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© The Pharma Letter
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PARTNERSHIPS FOR NEWBORN HEALTH
A Collaborative Approach to Improving Newborn Survival
In a recent opinion piece published by The Pharma Letter, Philip Breesch, Executive Vice President of the CARE Franchise at Chiesi Group, highlights the critical role of global partnerships in improving outcomes for newborns and their families. The article advocates for a holistic approach to the WHO’s goal of reducing global neonatal mortality. Projects such as Neopedia and BronQ Family rely on the close collaboration between global organizations, parent and patient advocates, healthcare professionals, industry partners, and engaged families. These projects demonstrate how bringing diverse voices together can help close knowledge gaps, empower families, and ensure that parents are recognized as essential partners in care.
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© Ilitominon
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15th Anniversary of Ilitominon
Advancing Family-Centered Developmental Care Through NeuBriC
On June 6, the Greek parent organization Ilitominon celebrated their 15th anniversary with a landmark scientific event in Athens that brought together families, healthcare professionals, and international experts around the shared vision of family-centered developmental care from the very first breath. The conference emphasized the importance of trauma-informed, family-centered approaches throughout the continuum of care. The event also provided an opportunity to introduce NeuBriC, a new educational initiative developed by Ilitominon. NeuBriC aims to promote evidence-based family-centered, trauma-informed developmental care through interdisciplinary training, professional education, and collaboration between healthcare professionals and families. The conference served as a powerful reminder that collaboration can foster meaningful progress in neonatal care.
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© Early Birds
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FOLLOW-UP CARE
New Ukrainian Guidelines Strengthen Developmental Follow-Up After Newborn Care
Our partner parent organization “Early Birds” (“Ranni Ptashky”) has presented updated methodological guidelines on modern developmental assessment tools for newborns, infants, and young children at Prime Pediatrics 2026 in Lviv. Developed with contributions from leading Ukrainian neonatal and pediatric experts, the free Ukrainian-language publication brings together ten contemporary approaches to developmental monitoring and assessment, including GMs, HINE, AIMS, BSID, ASQ, PARCA, GMCD, and GSED. By making internationally used tools more accessible in Ukrainian, the guidelines offer structured support for healthcare professionals involved in follow-up care. This represents an important step toward strengthening developmental monitoring and early identification of support needs for children and families across Ukraine. Please note that the document is written in Ukrainian.
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© GFCNI
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NEW FACTSHEET AVAILABLE
The Importance of Follow-Up Studies in Newborn Populations
Advances in neonatal care have improved survival, but many important questions only become visible after hospital discharge. Long-term follow-up is especially important after clinical trials in newborns, as it helps assess whether treatments remain safe and beneficial later in life, for children and their families. Our new factsheet highlights key benefits, challenges, and considerations around follow-up studies in newborn populations, including “TREOCAPA-LT” as an example of a European long-term follow-up study. Read the new factsheet, now available in English and French.
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© Unsplash
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NEONATAL JAUNDICE
New Safety Insights on Phototherapy Duration in Very Preterm Newborns
Phototherapy remains an essential treatment for managing high bilirubin levels in very preterm newborns, yet questions persist about how long treatment should continue. A Swedish population-based cohort study of 4,970 infants born before 32 weeks of gestation found that longer phototherapy during the first week of life was not associated with higher late neonatal mortality. While longer exposure was linked to some severe neonatal morbidities, including intraventricular hemorrhage and severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the authors noted that these associations may reflect underlying illness severity rather than treatment effects. The findings support continued, carefully monitored use of phototherapy when clinically indicated, while reinforcing the need to avoid unnecessary exposure.
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© Unsplash
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PREGNANCY CARE
Recurrent Preterm Birth Risk Remains Elevated Despite Reassuring Signs
A previous spontaneous preterm birth remains an important risk factor in future pregnancies, even when other findings appear reassuring. In an international individual patient data meta-analysis of 1,316 pregnant individuals with at least one previous spontaneous preterm birth, researchers examined how cervical length and pregnancy history influenced recurrence risk. The highest risks were seen among patients with a very early previous preterm birth and a short cervix in the current pregnancy, yet no subgroup reached the lower-risk profile of individuals without such a history. The findings support individualized counseling, continued monitoring, and careful consideration of both cervical length and previous pregnancy outcomes when planning care.
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© SIGNET
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SKIN HEALTH RESEARCH
SIGNET Collaborative Seeks Input on Skin Integrity Assessment for Extremely Preterm Infants
The Skin InteGrity in extreme preterms research NETwork Collaborative is inviting doctors, nurses, midwives, scientists, biomedical researchers, and engineers with clinical or research experience caring for neonates born before 28 weeks’ gestation to participate in a modified Delphi study. The study focuses on skin integrity and injury assessment in extremely preterm infants, with participants voting on items and characteristics, such as redness or ulceration, that may inform future assessment tools. Round 3 voting is open from June 15 to July 7, with participants later invited to further Delphi rounds and a final hybrid consensus round.
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© Unsplash
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THERMAL CARE
Drying Before Wrapping Does Not Improve Thermal Care in Very Preterm Newborns
Very preterm newborns are highly vulnerable to heat loss after birth, making consistent thermal management an essential part of neonatal stabilization. In a multicenter randomized clinical trial from Italy, researchers examined whether drying infants with a prewarmed towel before plastic wrapping could improve temperature control at NICU admission. Among 354 very preterm infants treated in 21 tertiary hospitals, drying before wrapping did not increase rates of normothermia compared with immediate wrapping without drying. Around half of infants in both groups still arrived outside the recommended temperature range. The findings support current guidance favoring immediate plastic wrapping and highlight the continued need for standardized thermal care bundles across neonatal settings.
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