This study aimed to investigate the effects of perceived social support on newborn hygienic care and breastfeeding intentions in primigravid pregnancies. This study had a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The study was conducted with 360 primigravid pregnant women who visited the Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of a university hospital in Türkiye. A Descriptive Information Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Scale of Readiness for the Hygienic Care of the Newborn, and the Infant Feeding Intentions Scale were used to collect data. The relationships between scale scores were examined using Pearson's correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of perceived social support on newborn hygienic care and breastfeeding intention. The mean total scores of the participants were 70.72 ± 14.04 (min: 12, max: 87) on the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, 55.71 ± 14.22 (min: 10, max: 70) on the Scale of Readiness for the Hygienic Care of the Newborn, and 6.95 ± 1.36 (min: 0, max: 9.5) on the Infant Feeding Intentions Scale. It was determined that the participants who were working, those whose babies were female, those who wanted to receive information about infant care, and those with high Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support scores were more prepared for the hygienic care of their newborns (p < 0.001). The Infant Feeding Intentions Scale scores of the participants were significantly associated with their working status, status of wanting to receive information about infant care, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support scores (p < 0.001). As the perceived social support levels of primigravid pregnant women increased, their readiness for the hygienic care of their newborns and their intentions to breastfeed their newborns also increased. This study provides insights into antenatal care planning by holistically addressing social support systems, newborn hygienic care readiness, and breastfeeding intentions in a primigravid sample. Therefore, health professionals may consider evaluating the social support systems of pregnant women, strengthening their social support systems during the care process, and providing the necessary professional support.

The role of public health interventions in modifying associations between prenatal exposures to ambient air pollution and extreme heat with child health outcomes: A systematic review.

Pediatric cochlear implantation is the standard of care for infants and young children with congenital bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss who receive limited benefits from optimally fitted hearing aids. Despite significant advances in cochlear implant (CI) device technology and surgical safety, post-implant spoken language outcomes remain highly heterogeneous, ranging from robust speech recognition and age-appropriate language to minimal benefits in sound detection with limited speech perception and language delays. This narrative review integrates findings from the literature by organizing predictors of post-implant language development into intrinsic and extrinsic factors and highlighting clinically actionable strategies to optimize interventions. Two major intrinsic constraints are (a) neurodevelopmental comorbidities (including intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder), which limit the cognitive resources required to transform auditory input into stable phonological and lexical representations, and (b) inner ear malformations and cochlear nerve deficiency, which restrict the neural substrate available for transmitting CI-mediated auditory input to the central auditory system. These intrinsic factors are closely linked to etiologies such as genetic disorders, congenital cytomegalovirus infection, and temporal bone malformations and can be identified early through developmental profiling, imaging, electrophysiology, and genetic testing to support individualized counseling and to help determine realistic expectations. In contrast, at least four extrinsic determinants are modifiable and should be targeted systematically: (A) early intervention with verified audibility and timely implantation when auditory development fails to progress, (B) early bilateral/binaural access via bilateral CIs or optimized bimodal fitting to improve speech access in noisy environments and reduce listening effort, (C) daily communication strategies that maximize consistent spoken-language input, and (D) family and socioeconomic support that shapes the child's language and literacy ecology. An individualized profile-based approach integrating these elements offers a structured pathway to narrow outcome variability and maximize spoken language trajectories after pediatric cochlear implantation.

Congenital syphilis is resurging in the United States, with incidence at its highest level in decades. Despite significant advances in infectious disease diagnostics, clinicians still lack a sensitive method to exclude congenital syphilis in exposed neonates, especially those who are asymptomatic. Current diagnostic strategies rely heavily on maternal treatment history, infant physical examination, and comparison of maternal and infant nontreponemal titers-components that are difficult to interpret, have limited sensitivity, and may not meaningfully alter management. As a result, many infants are hospitalized and treated not because infection is confirmed, but because it cannot be reliably ruled out. We conducted a narrative review of historical and contemporary studies evaluating diagnostic approaches for congenital syphilis. This review highlights 2 core diagnostic challenges in congenital syphilis: first, the current evaluation process is complex, difficult to interpret, and insufficiently sensitive to exclude infection, leading to both overtreatment and missed cases. Second, despite promising evidence from research settings, promising diagnostic tools such as immunoglobulin M-based assays and molecular tests that directly detect Treponema pallidum remain largely unused in routine US practice. Across historical and contemporary studies, those modalities demonstrated complementary strengths and may offer a simpler and more precise diagnostic approach that could reliably rule out infection in exposed but uninfected infants, an urgent and unmet need in current clinical care. Although those tools are used in parts of Europe, Asia, and other regions, they lack standardized protocols, regulatory clearance, and clinical integration in the United States. Broader implementation of these diagnostic tools could streamline evaluation, improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce unnecessary hospitalization and antibiotic use, and ensure timely treatment for infected neonates. Future efforts should prioritize clinical validation studies, standardized protocols, and long-term serologic follow-up to support evidence-based care for infants at risk of congenital syphilis.

Formal social support from healthcare professionals is critical in facilitating the transition to parenthood and may contribute to parental self-efficacy. However, its association with parent-infant bonding remains unclear, and evidence to guide clinical practice is scarce, especially during the postpartum hospital stay. This study aimed to (a) explore associations between formal social support during the postpartum stay, parenting self-efficacy, and parent-infant bonding; and (b) investigate the role of depressive symptoms and other confounding factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April 2023 to August 2024 in five hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland. 420 first-time parents (298 mothers and 122 partners). First-time mothers and co-parents completed a cross-sectional survey. Variables were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised, the FOCUS-Postpartum Scale, the Perinatal Infant Care Social Support Scale, the Parenting Expectations Survey, and the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression analyses were performed. A total of 298 mothers and 122 partners answered the survey. Parents reported low satisfaction with the information received during the postpartum hospital stay. In bivariate analyses, formal social support was positively associated with maternal self-efficacy (rho = 0.18, p = 0.004) but not with partners' self-efficacy (rho= -0.07, p = 0.45) or parent-infant bonding. After adjustment for confounding factors, the association between formal social support and maternal self-efficacy was no longer significant. In the maternal regression model, satisfaction with informal general support was significantly associated with maternal self-efficacy (β = 0.62, p = 0.002). Non-exclusive breastfeeding was associated with higher maternal bonding difficulties (β = 0.34, p = 0.008). Partners with a secondary education level reported lower parenting self-efficacy (β = -35.49, p = 0.005) and lower bonding quality (β = 0.7, p = 0.019) than those with an apprenticeship education. Depressive symptoms were negatively associated with parental self-efficacy (mothers β = -2.44, p = 0.015; partners β = -4.57, p < 0.001) and bonding (mothers β = 0.08, p < 0.001; partners β = 0.07, p = 0.002). Higher satisfaction with informal support was linked to maternal self-efficacy, while depressive symptoms consistently undermined both parental self-efficacy and bonding for both parents. Together with parents' low satisfaction with information received, these findings underscore the need for tailored support and the importance of clear and consistent communication from healthcare professionals for both mothers and partners.

With rising bariatric surgery rates, more women of childbearing age are becoming pregnant after bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is often associated with psychological diagnoses. While mental health issues are common during pregnancy and postpartum, the effects of bariatric surgery on mental health during these periods is unclear. This review aimed to collate and synthesise available literature regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews framework. A systematic search was conducted across five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Maternity and Infant Care, and Global Health). It included peer-reviewed primary research studies and conference abstracts published in English that reported mental health outcomes of women during pregnancy and postpartum with histories of bariatric surgery. There were no time restrictions for including studies. A narrative synthesis following the Popay et al. framework was performed to summarise and interpret the findings. The available evidence suggest that women who have undergone bariatric surgery may be at increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy compared to women who have not had bariatric surgery. Factors such as marital status, psychiatric history, and smoking exacerbate these risks. Evidence regarding other mental health disorders and postpartum depression was limited and inconsistent. Pre-pregnancy bariatric surgery may increase the risk of mental health challenges during the perinatal period. Mental health assessments should be integrated into antenatal and postnatal care for women with bariatric surgery histories.

BackgroundThe transition from hospital to home represents a critical and often perilous period for preterm infants. Inadequate discharge preparation frequently leads to adverse outcomes and preventable readmissions.ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop and evaluate a robust management indicator system to standardize and enhance the quality of transitional care for this vulnerable population.MethodsA sequential multiphase study was conducted, beginning with a systematic literature review to establish a preliminary indicator pool. A two‐round Delphi survey involving 21 neonatal care experts was then used to refine the indicators and achieve consensus. Finally, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to determine the relative weight of each indicator.ResultsThe response rate for both Delphi rounds was 100%. The expert consensus reliability (Cr) was 0.967 and 0.964 for the two rounds, respectively, with consensus scores (Cs) of 0.971 for both. Kendall’s W coefficients were 0.385 and 0.187 (both p < 0.05), indicating statistically significant agreement among experts across both rounds. The finalized management indicator system comprises 3 equally weighted primary indicators (0.333 each), 17 secondary indicators, and 42 tertiary indicators. Notably, at the secondary level, “Transitional care readiness” (0.234) received the highest weight. Among the tertiary indicators, the highest weight was assigned to “Emergency preparedness skills” (0.162), followed by “Medication administration guidance” (0.054).ConclusionThe management indicator system developed in this study demonstrates methodological rigor and expert consensus, offering a standardized, weighted framework for assessing transitional care readiness, guiding transitional care processes, and informing evidence‐based management practices for preterm infants. The system’s emphasis on emergency preparedness and family capability assessment highlights areas that may warrant greater attention in current discharge planning approaches, pending further empirical validation.

The effects of contact precautions (ie, gowns and gloves) for individual patients colonized with gram-negative (GN) drug-resistant bacteria on sepsis risk in neonates requiring intensive care remain to be clarified. To evaluate the noninferiority of standard hand hygiene disinfection vs standard hygiene disinfection plus extended barrier precautions for infants colonized with third-generation cephalosporins-resistant GN bacteria (3GCR-GNB). This cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted from 2020 to 2023 in 12 German tertiary care neonatal intensive units caring for neonates with high risk for infections with GNB for 24 months, with crossover after 12 months. Follow-up and data curation were completed December 31, 2024, and statistical analysis was finalized on July 31, 2025. The intervention was standard hand hygiene disinfection compared with current recommendations, ie, hygiene disinfection plus extended barrier precautions with gowns and gloves for routine care of infants colonized with 3GCR-GNB. The primary outcome was the rate of health care-associated GNB bloodstream infections (BSI) at infant level in all neonates requiring intensive care in the cluster, assuming 5% as noninferiority margin delta; secondary outcomes included transmission rates of 3GCR-GNB and rates of any infection. The primary analysis was based on an overall sample size of 12 sites with crossover at 12 months, making 24 clusters with 9731 neonates. During the standard hand hygiene disinfection periods, 22 of 4699 infants (0.5%) developed GNB BSIs at infant level, compared with 25 of 5032 infants (0.5%) cared for during the extended barrier precaution periods (risk difference [RD], -0.03%; 95% CI, -0.43% to 0.38%; noninferiority P < .001). At least 1 nosocomial transmission with 3GCR-GNB was noted during 41 of 144 months in the intervention period and 54 of 144 months in the control period (RD, -9.03%; 95% CI, -27.79% to 9.74%), with involvement of 116 patients (2.5%) vs 149 patients (3.0%) (RD, -0.44%, 95% CI, -2.47% to 1.58%). The total rate of BSI was 2.1% in neonates during the intervention period vs 2.0% during the control period (RD, 0.12%; 95% CI, -1.39% to 1.64%). In this cluster-randomized clinical trial, standard hand hygiene disinfection for the care of infants colonized with 3GC-GNB was noninferior to standard hygiene disinfection plus extended barrier precautions. German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00019103.

Sleep care significantly impacts children's development; however, caregivers' knowledge and practices regarding sleep care remain understudied. This study aims to comprehensively assess caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning sleep care for infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years. This cross-sectional study was collected from July to October 2024 among caregivers at two maternal and child health hospitals (Wuxi and Xuzhou) in Jiangsu Province, China. A standardized questionnaire assessed caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding sleep care for children aged 0-3 years. A total of 2,009 valid responses were obtained, with 1,750 (87.11%) were female caregivers. The median (Q₁, Q₃) scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 8.00 (7.00, 9.00), 22.00 (20.00, 24.00), and 37.00 (33.00, 40.00), respectively. Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed statistically significant positive correlations between caregivers' knowledge and their attitudes (r = 0.119, P < 0.001) and practices (r = 0.167, P < 0.001), as well as attitude and practice (r = 0.258, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher knowledge scores [OR = 1.154, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.034-1.288, P < 0.001], positive attitudes (OR = 1.188, 95% CI: 1.136-1.243, P < 0.001), higher household income (OR = 1.634, 95% CI: 1.066-2.505, P = 0.024), and better child sleep quality (OR < 1, 95% CI: 0.102-0.928, P < 0.05) were independently associated with better sleep care practices. Structural equation modeling showed direct effects of knowledge on both the attitudes (β = 1.346, P < 0.001) and practices (β = 1.152, P < 0.001), as well as of attitude on practice (β = 0.492, P < 0.001). Although caregivers demonstrated adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and generally sufficient sleep care practices, targeted educational interventions remain necessary, particularly for caregivers with lower education and income, to further optimize sleep care behaviors.

Evaluate variation in care of febrile infants presenting to London hospitals and adherence to national Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). Retrospective multicentre cohort study conducted at 21 London hospitals. Infants ≤ 90days of age presenting with fever or caregiver reported fever between 1st April 2021-31st March 2022 were included. Outcome measures were variationsin patient management and adherence to national CPGs. Of 2,008 presentations, 41.1% were febrile during assessment. 73.7% had blood tests (range across hospital sites: 55.4-96.7%), 40.8% had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing (17.1-70.7%), 63.4% had urinalysis (43.4-85.4%) and 62.2% were investigated for SARS-CoV2 (26.5-91.7%). Antibiotics were started in 57.7% (35.4-90.2%) and 63.5% (46.7-99.2%) were admitted. Infants aged < 28days and infants febrile during assessment were more likely to undergo investigations and be admitted. Adherence varied significantly across sites: full adherence to CPGs was achieved in 21.9% (site range 8.8-35.4%), partial adherence in 24.4% (18.0-35.3%), non-adherence in 31.2% (10.6-47.4%), and over-adherence in 23.5% (8.0-44.7%). CPG adherence was higher in infants aged < 28days.Conclusions: There was wide variation in care across London hospitals with limited adherence to guidelines. This highlights the need to focus on refining and updating decision models and CPGs, with more specific recommendations for managing infants who are afebrile during initial assessment. Clear guidance with a focus on reducing missed diagnosis may impact patient safety and economical expenditure.

The Tigray War (November 2020-November 2022) caused catastrophic health system collapse in northern Ethiopia, with substantial excess mortality and near-total destruction of health infrastructure. The impact on HIV care services remains poorly documented. We comprehensively assessed HIV care continuum recovery across prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), HIV-exposed infant care and cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV during the postconflict period. We conducted a retrospective multidomain cohort study across seven health facilities in Mekelle City, Tigray, from November 2022 to May 2025. We assessed: (1) mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rates among 405 HIV-exposed infants using Firth's penalised logistic regression; (2) feeding practices, growth outcomes, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis coverage and retention among 2482 follow-up visits using generalised estimating equations and (3) cervical cancer screening cascade completion among 2515 women living with HIV using mixed-effects logistic regression. Among 405 HIV-exposed infants, 11 were diagnosed HIV-positive, an MTCT rate of 2.72% (95% CI 1.36% to 4.81%). MTCT declined significantly from 5.56% in 2022 to 0% by early 2025 (p=0.0015). All transmissions occurred in primary-level facilities (8.27%), with none in secondary-level facilities (0%). Exclusive breastfeeding occurred in 90.9% of visits (95% CI 89.3 to 92.4%). Growth failure was rare among exclusively breastfed infants (0.48%) but markedly higher among replacement-fed infants (26.2%). Programme retention was 99.8%, mortality 0.2%, and no infants were lost to follow-up. Cervical cancer screening coverage was high (98.6% offered, 98.3% accepted), though only 76.9% completed screening. Despite catastrophic health system disruption, facility-based HIV services in post-war Tigray achieved near-elimination of MTCT by 2025, with exceptional retention, prophylaxis coverage and breastfeeding outcomes. Concentration of PMTCT services at secondary-level facilities was strongly associated with reduced transmission. However, these findings represent a selected population successfully accessing services; true population-level outcomes are likely substantially worse. Sustained investment in facility-based services and community outreach is essential for comprehensive HIV care recovery.

Efficient oral feeding is a key functional milestone in neonatal and early childhood care, reflecting neuromuscular maturation, physiological stability, and readiness for hospital discharge. Infants and young children, particularly those born preterm, frequently experience feeding difficulties due to immature oral motor coordination. Structured oral motor interventions have been proposed to enhance feeding-related outcomes; however, their effectiveness remains variably reported. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral motor interventions in improving feeding and oral motor outcomes in infants and young children compared with routine care. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. Randomized controlled trials published between 2014 and 2024 were identified through PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies involved infants and young children with feeding difficulties or underdeveloped oral motor function and evaluated structured oral motor interventions compared with routine care or standard feeding support. Study selection was performed using Rayyan. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 2.0. Where appropriate, random-effects meta-analyses were performed, and effect estimates were presented as mean differences or standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Ten randomized controlled trials were included. All included studies involved preterm infants receiving neonatal clinical care. Oral motor interventions were associated with improvements in feeding readiness, sucking-swallowing coordination, feeding efficiency, and earlier achievement of full oral feeding compared with routine care. Interventions incorporating Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention demonstrated the most consistent benefits, particularly in reducing the time required to achieve independent oral feeding. The certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate, with methodological heterogeneity and limited blinding representing the main sources of bias. Oral motor interventions were associated with clinically relevant improvements in feeding-related outcomes among preterm infants compared with routine care. Overall, the findings support oral motor interventions as a clinically relevant adjunct to routine care for preterm infants with feeding difficulties associated with underdeveloped oral motor function. However, the certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate, highlighting the need for further well-designed randomized controlled trials to clarify long-term developmental implications and inform evidence-based clinical practice. PROSPERO CRD420251270705.

AI-assisted placenta pathology in clinical use: barriers and opportunities.

ABSTRACT In this article, I discuss the significance of early infant feeding choices for the goal of gender justice. Focusing on human lactation practices, I identify Exclusive Gestational Nursing (EGN) as the norm in advanced industrial societies, which creates the expectation and permission for gestators, and only gestators, to nurse children, and only the children they have gestated. Through an analysis of the tasks that make up early infant care and research on the early experiences of co‐parents, I show that EGN is a factor that entrenches the specialisation of gestational mothers in childrearing and makes both equal sharing and male specialisation harder to pursue. By identifying particular features of EGN (overlaps with gestation, tethering, asymmetrical care, epistemic neglect, and voluntariness), I demonstrate that the costs of lactation as EGN are distinct from and additional to those that accrue to gestators by pregnancy alone. I conclude by pointing towards alternative lactational practices such as co‐nursing, cross‐nursing, and male lactation, which, if researched and supported, have the potential to reduce the intensity and specialisation of the nursing relationship and to further enable the adoption of early infant care by others beyond gestational mothers.

To explore prevalence estimates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in high-income countries and the relationships between levels and patterns of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and FASD. Two scoping reviews of observational studies. We searched Medline, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, and the Incidence and Prevalence Database until June 2024. Two reviewers screened studies independently using predefined criteria to address our two questions and extracted data on study design, diagnostic criteria, methods of collecting drinking history and details about levels and drinking patterns. We identified 41 relevant studies. Most were conducted in the Americas region (n=15) and had a cross-sectional design (n=26). The US Institute for Medicine diagnostic criteria were most frequently used for case ascertainment (n=22). Prevalence ranged from 5.8 (95% CI 4.6 to 7.1) to 170 000 (95% CI 161 000 to 178 000) per 1 000 000 general population. Estimates of associations between drinking levels/patterns and having a child diagnosed with FASD varied substantially. The lowest OR (95% CI) was 1.8 (0.3 to 12.2) for women who drank 1-1.9 drinks per drinking day compared with no alcohol and the highest was 61 (18.9 to 195.5) for women who drank any amount of alcohol during pregnancy compared with women who did not drink at all. FASD prevalence estimates in high-income countries and the risk of different levels and drinking patterns varied widely due to the use of different diagnostic criteria, sampling and alcohol consumption collection methods. Improving alcohol consumption collection methods will help enhance diagnostic certainty and the identification of at-risk groups.

The experience of mothers keeping a diary during their baby's stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be deeply significant, serving as a coping mechanism and a means of emotional expression. This study aimed to explore mothers' experiences during their infants' hospitalization in the NICU, as reflected in maternal diary entries, using a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of mothers' experiences in the NICU. The participating mothers were asked to complete a one-page diary entry for five consecutive days, documenting their perceptions of emotional closeness and the time spent with their infants. The findings revealed that mothers initially experienced emotional detachment and uncertainty due to physical separation from their infants. However, over time, as they engaged in skin-to-skin contact, participated in caregiving activities, and adapted to the NICU routine, their sense of emotional closeness gradually increased. The journaling process provided a structured means for mothers to reflect on their emotions, track their bonding experiences, and process the challenges associated with NICU hospitalization. Additionally, factors such as nursing support, opportunities for parental involvement in infant care, and peer interactions played a significant role in shaping emotional closeness. The study highlights the importance of structured interventions that promote emotional closeness between mothers and their infants in the NICU. Encouraging early parental involvement, facilitating skin-to-skin contact, and incorporating expressive writing techniques such as journaling into nursing practices may help strengthen mother-infant bonding. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term effects of these interventions on maternal well-being and infant development.

Mental health, at the opposite end of the spectrum from mental illness, is an important yet understudied aspect of maternal well-being. We sought to characterize aspects of emotional, social, and functional well-being in the postpartum period and perceived facilitators and barriers to mental health following a high-risk pregnancy. We conducted 28 in-depth interviews with people 3 to 6 months postpartum who experienced a pregnancy complicated by hypertension or diabetes in Atlanta, Georgia. We conducted a thematic analysis to examine dimensions of mental health and prevalent challenges to attaining it. Participants described how social well-being (including interpersonal relationships, functional support, and social support) facilitated positive functioning and emotional well-being. Challenges to well-being included difficulties with infant feeding and care, housing and financial insecurity, and personal health. Facilitators of well-being included robust and positive relationships with female relatives and male partners. Participants described a limited role of the perinatal care team in supporting mental well-being. Postpartum mental health is a distinct construct from mental illness that, when adequately supported through family networks and health care teams, can benefit both woman and infant.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common mental health condition, affecting mothers after childbirth with significant consequences for maternal well-being and infant care. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers towards postpartum depression, attending the postnatal clinic at Elshadai Hospital in Nkumba, Wakiso District. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. 52 postnatal mothers at Elshadai Hospital were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Results: The majority of respondents were aged 24–29 years (22, 42.3%), (5, 9.7%), were aged 36 years and above, (34, 65.4%) were married, whereas (4, 7.7%) were widowed. (20, 38.5%) had attained secondary education, (4, 7.7%) had no formal education, (21, 40.4%) were Catholic, (38, 73.1%) had attended a postnatal clinic before, while a minority had not attended (14, 26.9%). The majority of mothers (63.5%) had heard of PPD, primarily from health workers (38.5%), and most recognized hormonal changes as a major cause. Positive attitudes were observed, with 42.3% acknowledging PPD as a real health problem and 50% strongly agreeing that affected women should seek help. In practice, (34.6%) mothers sometimes shared emotions with health workers and (38.5%) practiced self-care occasionally, while 59.6% had not attended any health education or counseling sessions. Conclusion: Mothers demonstrated moderate knowledge, generally positive attitudes, and variable practices toward postpartum depression. However, gaps in awareness, misconceptions, and inconsistent engagement with health services were noted. Recommendations: Strengthen postnatal mental health education, integrate routine PPD screening, and promote counseling and psychosocial support at health facilities. Mothers are encouraged to actively participate in postnatal education sessions, share their emotional experiences with healthcare providers, and adopt self-care practices to maintain mental health during the postpartum period.

Edge feature enhancement: Generating adversarial edge perturbations for preterm infant movement recognition.

Newborns who are born too soon, too small or sick are a vulnerable group who require special/high-dependency/intensive care after birth. Infant and Family-Centred Developmental Care (IFCDC) is an integrated healthcare approach that prioritises and values parental/familial involvement and participation by fostering competencies in essential newborn care skills and thus parental empowerment. There is a paucity of data globally on the IFCDC practice and the challenges faced by parents/caregivers during hospitalisation and post-discharge and the potential country-specific support. The primary objective of the HOPE study (Global Study on Newborn HOspitalization and Parental Experiences) is to assess parents'/caregivers' experiences, needs and concerns during newborn hospitalisation, barriers and facilitators in IFCDC practice and the extent of social and governmental support across multiple countries. This study is an observational, cross-sectional, mixed-methods, multinational, multilingual online survey that will target parents/caregivers of infants requiring neonatal special/intensive care after birth who are born on/after 1 January 2023. The questionnaire will collect data on parents'/caregivers' experiences related to IFCDC practice, social and governmental barriers and facilitators. The questionnaire will be designed using qualitative interviews with parents, expert advice from >80 multiprofessional international experts and parent representatives and data from a pre-testing. In a two-stage approach beginning with high-priority, followed by lower-priority questions, the instrument will retrospectively collect self-reported data using single-answer, multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Quantitative data will be analysed descriptively and using subgroup comparisons and qualitative data will be examined using thematic content analysis. The survey access link will be distributed by the Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants and the HOPE study network. Results will provide information related to parents'/caregivers' experiences, the extent of IFCDC implementation, and social and governmental support measures worldwide. Country-specific analyses will enable between country comparisons, identify transferable care practices and recommendations for action. NCT06827028.