The Incubator

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In this episode of The Incubator, Ben and Daphna return from the Delphi Conference to dive back into Journal Club. They review the highly anticipated TORPIDO 30/60 trial published in JAMA, comparing initial oxygen concentrations of 30% versus 60% for preterm resuscitation. The hosts discuss the primary outcomes of survival and brain injury, while highlighting intriguing secondary findings regarding chest compressions and epinephrine use in the delivery room. They also share exciting updates on the Vermont Oxford Network collaboration and a new family study from the GFCNI.
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Targeted Oxygen for Initial Resuscitation of Preterm Infants: The TORPIDO 30/60 Randomized Clinical Trial. Oei JL, Kirby A, Travadi J, Davis P, Wright I, Ghadge A, Yeung C, Cruz M, Keech A, Hague W, Lui K, Vento M, Gordon A, De Waal K, Chaudhari T, Hong TSL, Morris S, Kushnir A, Bonney D, Tracy M, Kumar K, Chhnia AS, Baral VR, Muniyappa P, Cheah FC, Sarnadgouda P, Rajadurai VS, Balakrishnan U, Oleti TP, Aldecoa-Bilbao V, Couce ML, Collados CT, Fernández RE, Moliner E, Ruiz Gonzalez MD, Singhal M, Agrawal G, Singh J, Pal S, Nayya S, Arora R, Amboiram P, Simes J, Tarnow-Mordi W; TORPIDO30/60 Collaborative Group.JAMA. 2025 Dec 10:e2523327. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.23327. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41369162
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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. 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 recording captures the AI panel discussion from the 2026 Delphi Neonatal Innovation Conference, held live on Monday afternoon. Dr. Jim Barry (University of Colorado), Dr. Thao Ho (UCSF), Lindsey Knake (University of Iowa), Selva Selvaraj (Nicklaus Children's Health System), and Dr. Ryan McAdams (University of Wisconsin-Madison) discuss where AI stands in the NICU today.
The panelists cover predictive models for sepsis and NEC, AI documentation tools, and the gap between research prototypes and clinical implementation. They address challenges with generalizability across different units, ethical considerations, parent-facing AI applications, and what might be standard practice in ten years. If you're trying to figure out what's actually working versus what's still theoretical, this conversation covers the current state of play.

Support the show
As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. 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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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.
Support the show
As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. 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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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: [email protected]. 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: [email protected]. 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!