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What if the smallest patients finally had a diaper designed just for them? For years, NICUs have struggled to find appropriately sized diapers for extremely premature infants, often resorting to makeshift solutions that compromised skin integrity and care quality. That changes now. In this breaking news episode, Ben sits down with Harry McCusker, Director of Research and Development for North America Pampers Diapers, to discuss the groundbreaking launch of the Pxxs diaper—the world's smallest commercially available diaper, specifically engineered for micropreemies born as early as 21-23 weeks gestation. Weighing less than a nickel and designed with input from NICU professionals worldwide, the Pxxs addresses critical challenges in skin protection, fluid management, and developmental care for our most vulnerable patients. Join us as we explore how this innovation represents more than just a smaller diaper—it's Pampers' commitment that every preemie deserves products designed with their unique needs in mind.

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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.

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Could a simple blood test help identify chronic pulmonary hypertension when echo access is limited? This week on The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna explore this question and others relevant to daily NICU practice. A Toronto study examines NT-proBNP as a practical diagnostic tool in extremely preterm infants.

They also examine a puzzling finding from Italy and Belgium: despite near-universal antibiotic use in neonates with HIE undergoing cooling, actual culture-positive sepsis rates are surprisingly low. What does this mean for our approach to empiric antibiotics?

Ben presents Norwegian data showing that serial physical exams cut antibiotic exposure in half for term and late preterm infants—without compromising safety. Daphna follows with research connecting NICU capacity strain to patient outcomes, underscoring why adequate staffing isn’t just about comfort, but about survival.

The episode concludes with Ben, Daphna, and Eli discussing the recent CDC changes to Hepatitis B birth dose recommendations. With federal guidance now diverging from AAP recommendations, how do we navigate conversations with families? They explore transmission risks parents may overlook and share approaches to shared decision-making when expert opinions conflict.

A full week of neonatal medicine research and real-world clinical challenges, all in one episode

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!

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This week on Neo News, we tackle the recent and controversial divergence between CDC and AAP guidelines regarding the birth dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine. With the CDC now recommending a deferred schedule for infants of Hepatitis B-negative mothers, we explore the clinical implications, the risks of vertical transmission, and the challenge of navigating discordant public health advice. We discuss how to handle shared decision-making in an era of waning vaccine confidence and why the "birth dose" remains a critical safety net in a community setting. Join us as we break down the data behind the headlines.

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American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025, December 15). AAP: CDC decision on universal birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine irresponsible and purposely misleading. AAP News. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/33980/AAP-CDC-decision-on-universal-birth-dose-of?searchresult=1?autologincheck=redirected

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!