Ben Courchia MD & Daphna Yasova Barbeau MD

The Incubator's Journal Club

Health EN ↓ 162 episodes

The Incubator’s Journal Club is a weekly podcast dedicated to reviewing the latest evidence published in peer-reviewed journals in neonatology and perinatal medicine. Each episode breaks down important studies in newborn and perinatal care, with a clear focus on methodology, key findings, and real-world clinical impact. Designed for clinicians, nurses, and trainees, this series highlights research that meaningfully informs bedside practice and clinical decision-making. It is an efficient and reliable way to stay current with the most relevant and practice-changing evidence in neonatal care.

Author

Ben Courchia MD & Daphna Yasova Barbeau MD

Episodes

#388 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Can Maternal Mental Health Predict Neurodevelopmental Delays in Toddlers? 01.01.2026 13:53

Maternal Psychological Distress Before and After Childbirth and Neurodevelopmental Delay in Toddlers. Matsumura K, Tanaka T, Kuroda M, Tsuchida A, Hatakeyama T, Kasamatsu H, Inadera H; Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Oct 1;8(10):e2540907. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.40907.PMID: 41171271 Free PMC article. Support the show As always, feel free to send us ques...

#388 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Can We Predict Which Extremely Preterm Infants Need Early Cord Clamping? 01.01.2026 14:36

Antenatal Prediction of Early Cord Clamping among Infants Born Extremely Preterm. Katheria A, Dorner RA, Grobman W, Rysavy MA, Koo J, Wyckoff MH, Sandoval G, DeMauro SB, Das A, Lee HC, Cotten M, Calvo L, Saha S; Eunice Kennedy Schriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. J Pediatr. 2025 Oct 31:114878. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114878. Online ahead of...

#388 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from December 21st 2025 01.01.2026 1:25:01

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review five recent studies with practical implications for neonatal care. The FEED1 trial examines whether starting full milk feeds from day one is safe in 30-32 week preterm infants, finding no difference in length of stay compared to gradual feeding but fewer central line days. A brief communication from UAB explores high-volume feeding strategies (≥1...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Improving Neonatology Staffing With the INS Toolkit 01.01.2026 16:38

Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below. Enjoy!

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Do Antenatal Corticosteroids Reduce Respiratory Morbidity in Late Preterm Twins? 01.01.2026 9:23

Antenatal Corticosteroid in Twin-Pregnant Women at Risk of Late Preterm Delivery: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Lee SM, Park HS, Choi SR, Lee J, Kim HJ, Park JY, Oh KJ, Cho GJ, Oh MJ, Chung JH, Kim SM, Kim BJ, Kim SY, Hong S, Jung YM, Lee SJ, Seong JS, Kim H, Oh S, Lee J, Jin YR, Kim JH, Cho HY, Park CW, Park JS, Jun JK.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Sep 22:e253284. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3284. Onlin...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Does DHA With or Without ARA Supplementation Improve Outcomes in Preterm Infants? A Meta-Analysis 01.01.2026 12:11

Effect of enteral supplementation of DHA with or without ARA in preterm infants: a meta-analysis. Dang D, Gao Z, Zhang C, Mu X, Lv X, Wu H.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Apr 15:fetalneonatal-2024-327606. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327606. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40233974 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 How Do Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Compare After Transcatheter PDA Closure Versus Surgical Ligation in Extremely Preterm Infants? 01.01.2026 10:33

Comparison of neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants undergoing trans-catheter closure of the patent ductus arteriosus compared to surgical ligation. Kaluarachchi DC, Chock VY, Do BT, Rysavy MA, Sankar MN, Laughon MM, Backes CH, Colaizy TT, Bell EF, McNamara PJ, Hintz SR, Natarajan G.J Perinatol. 2025 Sep 23. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02417-8. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40987835...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 What Do Parents and Practitioners Think About Opt-Out Consent in Neonatal Trials? 01.01.2026 13:53

Parent and practitioner experiences of opt-out consent in neonatal intensive care: a mixed methods study within a trial. Mitchell T, Andrzejewska I, Battersby C, Cole C, Daskalopoulou Z, Dorling J, Gale C, Graham M, Hubbard M, Hardy P, Hurd M, King AR, Manley BJ, Murray D, Nuthall E, O'Connor H, Ojha S, Roberts CT, Rodriquez A, Roehr CC, Stanbury K, Tume L, Young L, Woolfall K.Arch Dis Child...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Are Infants With Critical Congenital Heart Disease at Higher Risk for Cancer in the First Year of Life? 01.01.2026 7:17

Critical Congenital Heart Disease and Infant Cancer. Chin S, Lupo PJ, Baer R, Hobbs CA, Chambers CD, Bandoli G.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 25:e2025072934. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-072934. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40992753 No abstract available. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through...

#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 How Reliable Are Current Screening Tools for Autism in Preterm Children? 01.01.2026 9:15

Screening for Autism in Preterm Children: A Systematic Review. Thomas KE, Raghuram K, Banihani R, Church PT, Mbuagbaw L, Penner M.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 3:e2024069837. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-069837. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40897396 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Insta...

#364 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from October 5th 2025 01.01.2026 1:19:18

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a wide range of new research shaping neonatal practice and policy. The discussion begins with a randomized controlled trial from Korea examining antenatal corticosteroid use in twin pregnancies at risk for late preterm delivery, showing reductions in neonatal respiratory morbidity. They then turn to a meta-analysis on DHA with or without ARA supp...

#371 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Renal Replacement in the NICU 01.01.2026 16:11

Infant Renal Replacement Therapy Using Carpediem™: A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study from the ICONIIC Learning Network. Slagle CL, Vuong KT, Krallman KA, Casey L, Gist KM, Jetton JG, Joseph C, Luckritz K, Martin SD, Morgan J, Merrill KA, Plomaritas K, Ramirez D, Tran CL, Shin HS, Snyder AN, Van Wyk B, Yalon L, Goldstein SL, Menon S.J Pediatr. 2025 Sep 26:114838. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.11...

#371 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 The Benefits of Vitamin D Supplementation 01.01.2026 9:33

Short-term and long-term effects of vitamin D supplementation for preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Shin SH, Kim HJ, Heo JS.J Perinatol. 2025 Oct 7. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02440-9. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41057557 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show throug...

#371 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Nebulized Nitroglycerin for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn 01.01.2026 11:05

Nebulized nitroglycerin as an adjuvant drug in management of persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborns: a randomized controlled trial. Farag MM, Ghazal HAE, Abdel-Mohsen AM, Rezk MA.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Sep 1;184(9):586. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06381-5.PMID: 40888971 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our ema...

#371 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Azithromycin for Prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Updated Meta-Analysis 01.01.2026 6:48

Azithromycin for Prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Other Neonatal Adverse Outcomes in Preterm Infants: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Joseph M, Murali Krishna M, Karlinksi Vizentin V, Provinciatto H, Ezenna C.Neonatology. 2025 Aug 12:1-10. doi: 10.1159/000547537. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40795809 Free article. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questio...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 What is the Best Respiratory Predictor of Heart Rate Stabilization in Delivery Room Resuscitation 01.01.2026 12:56

Respiratory Targets Associated With Lung Aeration During Delivery Room Resuscitation of Preterm Neonates. Rub DM, Hsu JY, Weinberg DD, Felix M, Nadkarni VM, Te Pas AB, Kuypers KLAM, Davis PG, Ratcliffe SJ, Kirpalani HM, Foglia EE.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Aug 11:e252521. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2521. Online ahead of print. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Does Atropine Improve Safety During Elective Neonatal Intubation? 01.01.2026 16:49

Atropine Versus Placebo for Neonatal Nonemergent Intubation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Afifi J, El-Naggar W, Hatfield T, Sandila N, Baier J, Narvey M.J Pediatr. 2025 Jul 9;286:114719. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114719. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40645282 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contac...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 When and How Often Should We Screen for PH in BPD? 01.01.2026 10:03

Screening for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: when, how often and does it matter? Gentle SJ, Carlo WA, Ambalavanan N.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Sep 5:fetalneonatal-2024-328405. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328405. Online ahead of print. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupod...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Can Continuous Glucose Monitoring Help Manage Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia? 01.01.2026 5:52

Continuous glucose monitoring in a neonate with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and ABCC8 gene mutation. Iwańczyk P, Majewska A, Issat T, Hoffman-Zacharska D, Krajewski P, Lipska-Karpińska K.Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep. 2025 Jun 5;2025(2):e250002. doi: 10.1530/EDM-25-0002. Print 2025 Apr 1. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicu...

#352 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from September 14th 2025 01.01.2026 1:25:14

In this week’s Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review several recent neonatal studies with direct implications for practice. They begin with the BORN trial from Italy, which investigated whether transfusing preterm infants with cord blood–derived red blood cells, rather than adult donor blood, could reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). While the intention-to-treat analysis showed no differ...

#341 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Does Counting Ribs on Xray Estimate Lung Volume Accurately? 01.01.2026 12:45

Diaphragm Position on Chest Radiograph to Estimate Lung Volume in Neonates. Dahm SI, Sett A, Gunn EF, Ramanauskas F, Hall R, Stewart D, Koeppenkastrop S, McKenna K, Gardiner RE, Rao P, Tingay DG.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jul 21:e252108. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2108. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40690243 Free PMC article. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or su...

#341 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Does Sedation Worsen Diaphragm Weakness in Preterm Infants on the Ventilator? 01.01.2026 12:58

Impact of Sedation on Ventilator-Induced Diaphragmatic Dysfunction in Extremely Preterm Infants. Hoshino Y, Arai J, Hirono K, Maruo K, Miura-Fuchino R, Yukitake Y, Kajikawa D, Kamakura T, Hinata A, Okada Y, Sato Y.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2025 May;60(5):e71126. doi: 10.1002/ppul.71126.PMID: 40365938 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupod...

#341 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from August 17th 2025 01.01.2026 1:26:06

This week on Journal Club, we review five important studies with direct implications for your work in the NICU. First, we examine the newly released third-generation Fenton growth charts—how do they differ from previous versions, and what do they reveal about how we may have underestimated early growth trajectories in preterm infants? Next, we evaluate the association between retinopathy of premat...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 EBNEO Commentary on Norepinephrine vs Dopamine in septic shock 01.01.2026 20:18

Dopamine versus epinephrine for neonatal septic shock: an open labeled, randomized controlled trial. Singh G, Bhaskar V, Batra P, Gupta P.J Perinatol. 2025 Aug 28. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02399-7. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40877444 EBNEO Commentary: Review of the 'Norepinephrine Versus Dopamine for Septic Shock in Neonates: A Randomised Controlled Trial'. Altit G.Acta Paediatr. 2025 J...

#352 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Should We Transfuse Cord Blood PRBCs Instead of Adult PRBCs to Prevent Severe ROP? 01.01.2026 11:57

Cord red blood cell transfusions for severe retinopathy in preterm neonates in Italy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Teofili L, Papacci P, Pellegrino C, Dani C, Cresi F, Remaschi G, Ansaldi G, Giannantonio C, Campagnoli MF, Vania B, Fabbri M, de Vera d' Aragona RP, Molisso A, Beccastrini E, Dragonetti A, Pasciuto T, Gabbriellini S, Baroni S, Serrao F, Purcaro V, Raffaeli G, Villa...