The transition from fetal to extrauterine life is the most complex and dynamic process and requires rapid and complex steps to ensure neonatal wellbeing. Maternal health, pregnancy-associated disorders, placental insufficiency, gestational age, adverse birth, congenital malformations, and compromised extrauterine environment may challenge this unique process.
Very little is known about the transition to extrauterine life in newborn infants in either health or disease states. In the first days after birth, blood must be oxygenated via the lungs, the heart and vessels must circulate blood to provide the oxygen and the nutrients, and the waste product must be excreted. A better insight into the transitional mechanism is important in order to detect which newborns are at a higher risk and find strategies to improve their outcomes. A clear delineation between abnormal transition and other pathological mechanisms may help us towards this goal. The ability of newborns to adapt to this physiologic task may be influenced if an abnormal pattern of changes could be identified.
The transition to extrauterine life is characterized by the initiation of ventilation and oxygenation of the lungs along with changes in circulation pathways. In the first stage, the liquid-filled airways need to be cleared, after that the gas exchange regions are mostly cleared allowing the gas exchange to commence, and after the liquid is cleared from the lung tissue the oxygenation will increase steadily. From animal studies, it is known that soon after birth the pulmonary vascular resistance drops, systemic vascular resistance increases, and the fetal shunts will start to close. The most dramatic changes take place in the first hours after birth. Infants born at different gestational ages will display different rates and times for these specific events and when this task is not accomplished usually infants will display a spectrum of clinical features. The way how different fetal diseases impact transition is not well understood and it is also not clear if the abnormal transition is a risk factor for different morbidities at all gestational ages. There remain many unanswered questions around normal transition, such as the best way to monitor normal values of heart and respiratory function for both healthy and sick newborns.
This Research Topic aims to describe current advances in research around transitional changes drawing on research from various backgrounds. The goal is to provide the neonatologist with solid novel research as well as reviews of the best approaches to clinical decision-making in the delivery rooms and maternity wards.
We would like contributing authors to address the following specific themes;
• Cardiovascular changes during the transition of healthy and sick neonates,
• The role of hemodynamic evaluation of transition of term and preterm neonates,
• Targeted neonatal echocardiography and advanced imaging techniques and methods for assessment of cardiocirculatory system
This Research Topic is open to articles that present novel evidence on defining the transition from fetal to neonatal life, and observational and experimental studies regarding new aspects of the abnormal transition of fetuses affected by;
• Placental insufficiency
• Maternal diseases
• Preterm birth
• Congenital malformations
The following article types are welcome: Original Research, Hypothesis and Theory, Review, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Opinion, and Perspective.
The transition from fetal to extrauterine life is the most complex and dynamic process and requires rapid and complex steps to ensure neonatal wellbeing. Maternal health, pregnancy-associated disorders, placental insufficiency, gestational age, adverse birth, congenital malformations, and compromised extrauterine environment may challenge this unique process.
Very little is known about the transition to extrauterine life in newborn infants in either health or disease states. In the first days after birth, blood must be oxygenated via the lungs, the heart and vessels must circulate blood to provide the oxygen and the nutrients, and the waste product must be excreted. A better insight into the transitional mechanism is important in order to detect which newborns are at a higher risk and find strategies to improve their outcomes. A clear delineation between abnormal transition and other pathological mechanisms may help us towards this goal. The ability of newborns to adapt to this physiologic task may be influenced if an abnormal pattern of changes could be identified.
The transition to extrauterine life is characterized by the initiation of ventilation and oxygenation of the lungs along with changes in circulation pathways. In the first stage, the liquid-filled airways need to be cleared, after that the gas exchange regions are mostly cleared allowing the gas exchange to commence, and after the liquid is cleared from the lung tissue the oxygenation will increase steadily. From animal studies, it is known that soon after birth the pulmonary vascular resistance drops, systemic vascular resistance increases, and the fetal shunts will start to close. The most dramatic changes take place in the first hours after birth. Infants born at different gestational ages will display different rates and times for these specific events and when this task is not accomplished usually infants will display a spectrum of clinical features. The way how different fetal diseases impact transition is not well understood and it is also not clear if the abnormal transition is a risk factor for different morbidities at all gestational ages. There remain many unanswered questions around normal transition, such as the best way to monitor normal values of heart and respiratory function for both healthy and sick newborns.
This Research Topic aims to describe current advances in research around transitional changes drawing on research from various backgrounds. The goal is to provide the neonatologist with solid novel research as well as reviews of the best approaches to clinical decision-making in the delivery rooms and maternity wards.
We would like contributing authors to address the following specific themes;
• Cardiovascular changes during the transition of healthy and sick neonates,
• The role of hemodynamic evaluation of transition of term and preterm neonates,
• Targeted neonatal echocardiography and advanced imaging techniques and methods for assessment of cardiocirculatory system
This Research Topic is open to articles that present novel evidence on defining the transition from fetal to neonatal life, and observational and experimental studies regarding new aspects of the abnormal transition of fetuses affected by;
• Placental insufficiency
• Maternal diseases
• Preterm birth
• Congenital malformations
The following article types are welcome: Original Research, Hypothesis and Theory, Review, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Opinion, and Perspective.
