Caring for newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) has advanced greatly thanks to modern technology, but a crucial factor often remains overlooked: the role of parents. Extended hospitalisation and separation can affect both infants and families, leading to stress and long-term challenges. Family Integrated Care (FICare) is a model that makes parents active members of the healthcare team, enabling them to be the primary caregivers for their infants. This approach has been studied in several countries and shows important benefits. Newborns experience better health outcomes, families feel more confident and less stressed, and healthcare professionals report higher satisfaction. Evidence shows that FICare is safe, feasible, and beneficial in diverse settings, making it an important step towards consistent standards in newborn care worldwide.   Parents of preterm or ill newborns often face emotional stress and uncertainty during long hospital stays. Traditional care models sometimes limit their involvement, which can impact both infant development and parental well-being. Recognising this, FICare emphasises that parents are not just visitors but essential caregivers. The reviewed studies include international experiences from Canada, China, the USA, Europe, and even Uganda, highlighting how FICare can be adapted to different health systems. While originally designed for stable preterm infants, it has now expanded to include critically ill newborns, showing that the model is flexible and broadly applicable.   Better outcomes for infants and families Research consistently shows that newborns cared for under FICare gain weight faster, establish feeding earlier, and spend fewer days in hospital compared with standard care. Long-term benefits include improved self-regulation, motor development, and language skills. Families also benefit through reduced stress, anxiety, and post-discharge trauma. Mothers reported lower stress hormone levels and felt more confident in caring for their children, supporting smoother transitions to home life. In addition, FICare strengthens the collaboration between parents and healthcare staff. Nurses and doctors shift from being the sole providers of care to becoming mentors and guides, enabling parents to take on responsibilities safely. Studies found that this approach does not increase risks, even for very ill infants, but instead fosters trust and stronger bonds.   Towards global implementation The importance of implementing family-centred standards across all countries cannot be overstated. The FICare model is already being adapted in various cultural and economic contexts. A European-led consortium is working to scale up and tailor the model to both high-resource and low-resource settings, proving that it can be applied worldwide. Implementing such standards within the ESCNH framework offers a clear path to ensuring that all infants, regardless of where they are born, receive the best possible start in life. FICare demonstrates that when families are empowered and included, outcomes improve for everyone: infants, parents, and professionals. Moving towards global standards of newborn care based on models like FICare can create more equitable and compassionate health systems. Parents should be encouraged to play an active role, and healthcare providers supported to make this collaboration a daily reality.   Paper available at: Family integrated care: State of art and future perspectives – PubMed Full list of authors: Moreno-Sanz, B.; Alferink, M. T.; O’Brien, K.; Franck, L. S. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17272

Neonatal and perinatal care is a national priority in Ukraine. In 2023, the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) intensified efforts to strengthen perinatal services across the country. As part of these efforts, the set of 16 standards for the topic of “Follow-up and continuing care” has now been translated, reviewed, and adapted into Ukrainian.   Translation of the ESCNH standards The translation of the standards on “Follow-up and continuing care” was a joint initiative by the NHSU, UNICEF, and the parent and patient organisation “Early Birds” (Ранні пташки). This milestone supports Ukraine in aligning national practice with international best standards, also in the context of EU integration.   Supporting healthcare professionals nationwide The Ukrainian editions are intended for healthcare professionals working in maternity, perinatal, and paediatric services. They are expected to serve as a key reference for future national clinical guidelines, protocols, and legislation.   Capacity-building and knowledge sharing Capacity-building activities are already under way. Since 2024, UNICEF has led a national webinar programme on Follow-up Care for Newborns with Low Birth Weight within the Medical Guarantees Programme, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the National Health Service of Ukraine, “Early Birds”, and with support from the Advisor and Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation. The programme brings together teams from perinatal care centres, oblast children’s hospitals, and primary healthcare facilities.   Gratitude and collaboration The Ministry of Health, the National Health Service of Ukraine, UNICEF Ukraine, and Early Birds express their sincere gratitude to GFCNI for ongoing support and collaboration in improving care for Ukraine’s smallest patients – especially in times of war.

© Pexels Infections remain a serious threat for newborns, especially those born preterm and requiring intensive care. Neonatal sepsis and other bacterial infections can lead to long-term complications or even death if not treated properly. In recent years, some studies have suggested shortening antibiotic treatment or switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics sooner. While these ideas aim to reduce antibiotic overuse, they often rely on limited evidence and may overlook important safety concerns. This perspective article reviews why caution is needed before changing current treatment practices and stresses the importance of parental involvement in decisions about care. The findings highlight the need for safe and responsible antibiotic use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Antibiotics are vital for protecting newborns from dangerous infections. However, their use in neonatal intensive care requires careful consideration. While overuse can contribute to antibiotic resistance and other complications, under-treatment puts infants at risk of life-threatening conditions. The challenge lies in finding the right balance. The article examines recent observational studies that recommend shorter antibiotic courses or early transition from intravenous to oral antibiotics for newborns with suspected or confirmed infections. These studies, however, often lack standardised definitions, include diverse infection types in a single group, and are conducted without parental consent. Such limitations raise concerns about the reliability of the findings and their potential impact on vulnerable infants.   Why standard guidelines still matter Evidence-based guidelines, such as those from the American Academy of Pediatrics, provide a framework for safe treatment of neonatal infections. Departures from these recommendations, if not backed by robust research, can increase risks for infants, especially those born very preterm, who have immature immune systems. The article stresses that newborns, and particularly preterm infants, cannot be treated as smaller versions of older children or adults. Their unique vulnerabilities must be recognised. Additional results show that both early- and late-onset sepsis remain major health challenges worldwide. Very low birth weight infants are at much higher risk, and survival rates are strongly linked to gestational age. Importantly, many neonatal infections cannot be reliably confirmed by blood cultures, meaning that stopping antibiotics too early could leave serious infections untreated.   What this means for parents and caregivers For parents, the key message is that antibiotics should neither be overused nor withheld when they are truly needed. Antibiotic stewardship programmes can safely reduce unnecessary exposure while ensuring effective treatment. Measures such as using sepsis risk calculators or automatic stop alerts have shown promise in lowering inappropriate antibiotic use without harming infants. Still, the authors caution that stewardship must always prioritise safety over speed. This article emphasises that any changes to antibiotic treatment for newborns should be introduced with great care, clear definitions, and full parental involvement. For families and healthcare providers alike, the priority remains the same: protecting the health and future of every newborn through safe, evidence-based care.   Paper available at: Investigating antibiotics in the NICU and patient safety – PubMed Full list of authors: Lawrence, S.M.; Wynn, J.L.; Kimberlin, D.W.; Cantey, J.B. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1563940