Useless perinatal therapies.

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Medicine
• Neonatology
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Historical newborn care by nurses and obstetricians, exemplified by Pierre Budin's focus on thermal regulation for low birth weight infants.
• The evolution of neonatology as a distinct field over the past 50 years.
• The development of surfactant therapy as a cornerstone of modern perinatal medicine, influenced by Professor Bengt Robertson's research.

Discussion:

• Review of historically adopted but ultimately useless or harmful perinatal therapies.
• Examples include uncontrolled oxygen, poor temperature management, feed restriction, and specific drugs like thalidomide, chloramphenicol, and corticosteroids.
• Critique of modern inappropriate therapies adopted without sufficient long-term evaluation, despite short-term benefits.

Key Insights:

• The critical importance of evidence-based practices in perinatal and neonatal care.
• The historical tendency to adopt ineffective or harmful interventions in newborn care.
• The necessity of rigorous, long-term evaluation for all new therapeutic interventions in neonatology.

Outlook:

• Emphasizing the need to learn from past mistakes in perinatal medicine.
• Promoting a culture of critical appraisal and long-term outcome assessment for all neonatal therapies.
• Ensuring that advancements in neonatal care are both effective and safe for newborns.