Neonatology

About 10% of all newborns in Sweden are treated in a neonatal unit. Thanks to modern neonatal intensive care, many severe conditions in newborns can be successfully treated and Sweden has an infant mortality rate which is among the lowest in the world. Many infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk of malnutrition – this includes preterm infants, infants undergoing surgery, infants with cardiac malformations or neuromuscular disorders.

We are focusing on research related to nutrition in preterm infants, aiming to find interventions to improve the long term health of this high-risk group of patients. Furthermore, we have developed an advanced software tool, Nutrium, which has been shown to improve nutrition and growth of preterms in the NICU.

A pilot study looking at neurofilament light as a biomarker of brain damage in newborns with asphyxia launched in early 2021.

N4 Perinatology

The COPE study is a is a Swedish multicentre study aiming to increase understanding of how COVID-19 infection during pregnancy affects the mother, the birth, and the new-born baby. The goal is also to gain increased knowledge of how pregnant women and their partners experience expecting a baby and becoming parents during an ongoing pandemic. Increased knowledge of these factors will help maternal health clinics and obstetric clinics give better information, recommendations, and support to pregnant women and their partners during a pandemic. It will also contribute to greater monitoring, treatment, and follow-up in case of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy.

The OPTION study aims to investigate pregnant mothers, partners, midwifes and obstetricians experience of home induction including health related and economic aspects for both mother and child of home induction. This is a multicentre collaboration in Sweden, where most of the hospitals with a delivery ward aim to participate.

N4 Preterm

Preterm infants are at high risk of malnutrition, even in modern neonatal intensive care units. Very low birth weight infants (< 1500 g) are at high risk of general malnutrition (protein, energy, micronutrients). Late preterm infants and term infants with marginally low birth weight (2000-2500 g) have high risk of iron deficiency. Our research on preterm infants has resulted in improved clinical care.

Research projects