View clinical trials related to Premature Birth.
Filter by:Extensive animal studies have indicated that antenatal betamethasone exposure results in altered developmental trajectories of several fetal systems. Follow up of a randomized controlled trial has shown that antenatal betamethasone exposure might result in insulin resistance 30 years later. Furthermore, animal studies and randomized trials in Humans have clearly demonstrated that betamethasone-induced growth alterations were dose-related. In ewes, a 50% reduced dose regimen resulted in maximal improvement in preterm lamb lung function, similar to those obtained after a full dose. Our hypothesis is that antenatal betamethasone after a 50% dose reduction, justified by the potential long term effects of this drug, is not inferior to a full dose to promote fetal lung maturation in Humans.
Experimental nociceptive stimulation of the fetus and neonate induces pulmonary artery vasoconstriction. The investigators assessed whether echocardiography for Ductus arteriosus screening may generate this hemodynamic response and whether postural support would be able to modulate it. Study design Prospective, single center, randomized study in less than 29 weeks of gestation neonates, with a post natal age < 48 hours, and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Crossover design with order of echocardiographies determined by computer randomization: in one group ultrasounds are performed with postural support, than standard conditions, in the other, ultrasounds are performed in standard conditions than with postural support. The objective of the study is to assess the ratio of the acceleration time/ejection time of pulmonary arterial flow. The others objectives are to assess echocardiographic-Doppler features (ductus arteriosus shunt pattern, pulmonary flow pattern, estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, right and left ventricular functions using tissue Doppler imaging and speckle-tracking echocardiography), pain assessment with a clinical scale and heart rate variability analysis.
The purpose is to describe the level of visual maturation of premature newborns at term equivalent age. The secondary purpose is to determine factors associated to an altered level of visual maturation, through an exploratory approach.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of development of the neural retina and its vasculature that may impact vision in vulnerable preterm neonates for a lifetime. This study utilizes new technology to determine visual and neurological development of very preterm infants in the intensive care nursery, during a period of rapid growth of the retina, optic nerve and brain. The long-term goal of this study is to help improve preterm infant health care via objective bedside imaging and analysis that characterizes early critical indicators of poor vision, neurological development and ROP, which will rapidly translate to better early intervention and improved future vision care.
In Alberta, nearly one in every twelve babies is born too soon (preterm). Preterm babies are at greater risk for breathing and feeding problems, as well as infections, than babies born on their due date (full term). As a result, parents must leave their preterm babies in the hospital to fully develop and become healthy enough to take home. When it is time for discharge, parents are often not ready to look after their baby because they may have limited involvement in the care of their baby in hospital. In addition to the distress and costs to parents of having a baby in hospital, health system costs are also increased the longer a baby is in hospital. The purpose of this project is to test a new way to integrate parents into the care of their baby through a program called Family Integrated Care (FICare). In FICare, parents are educated and supported by nurses to provide care for their baby; nurses and doctors still provide intravenous medications and medical procedures. FICare has been tested in Ontario and shows promise as a better model of care for the small percentage of babies born more than 8 weeks early, who have to spend a long time in hospital. Now the investigators want to test FICare with the greater percentage of preterm babies who are born 4 to 8 weeks early to see if parents are able to take their baby home sooner, and if their babies are healthier. The investigators also want to know if FICare can reduce distress for parents. The investigators propose to test FICare in Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in Alberta by implementing FICare in half the Level II NICUs and comparing the outcomes with the other Level II NICUs who do not use FICare. If FICare improves outcomes for preterm babies and their parents, the investigators will implement it in all Level II NICUs. In Alberta, the investigators want the best quality care for our most vulnerable babies and their parents. This project is aligned with Alberta's Health Research and Innovation Strategy priority of wellness at every age (child and maternal health), and with Alberta Health Services' quality of care goals to increase efficiency, effectiveness, appropriateness, and acceptability of health care services delivery.
Numerous experimental and clinical studies have shown that preterm neonates are particularly sensitive to stress. Preterm neonates routinely undergo painful invasive procedures. Each situation causing pain or discomfort can alter their development and cause short term cardiovascular consequences but also have long-term neurocognitive influences. Repetitive procedural pain can also lead to changes in the pain sensitivity threshold therefore. The most common painful procedures are lancing for blood glucose testing. In adults, infants and term newborns, forearm blood glucose testing has been demonstrated to be less painful than conventional sites (heel, fingers). But data is lacking in preterm neonates. The primary purpose of this study is to demonstrate a significant reduction in pain response during forearm blood lancing vs conventional sites (fingers, heel) in preterm neonates born up to 32 weeks gestation. This study is an interventional multicenter (3 centers), randomized, double bind trial with a cross over assignment. 60 premature neonates born between 23 to 32 weeks. Gestation with a postnatal age less than 72 hours that will undergo at least 3 blood glucose pricks will be included. The different sites will be randomly successively tested.
The objective of the study was to evaluated the feasibility and reproducibility of the measurement of lung elasticity report / fetal liver according to gestational age in a group of patients with a normal course of pregnancy and in a group of Patients at risk of preterm delivery.
This is a pilot study is to test a wireless, skin-sensor device against current technology in the NICU to monitor vitals
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that growth in size (weight, length, and head circumference) and in body composition (fat and lean mass) in preterm infants should adhere as close as possible to the growth and body composition of a healthy infant in utero at the same gestational age. However, there are no body composition reference curves available at this time for the preterm infant population. The purpose of this study is to collect cross-sectional body composition data using air displacement plethysmography (PEA POD Infant Body Composition System, Life Measurement, Inc) on approximately 240 preterm infants within 3 days of birth, for the purpose of generating means, standard deviations, and percentile values for total body fat mass, total fat free mass, and percent body fat for infants born at 30-36 weeks gestation. Relatively healthy infants without evidence of growth retardation will be selected for form the reference sample. The goal is to generate a set of common reference curves to be used in clinical centers against which to compare body composition status for individual infants.
The purpose of this study is to examine whether playing recordings of a mother's voice to her infant while in the hospital nursery is an effective treatment for promoting healthy brain and language development in infants born preterm.