Less is More: Innovative Approaches to Reducing Neonatal Mortality in LMICs

Saturday, April 26, 2025

10:00am – 11:30am HST

Location: Convention Center: 316 BC

CE: 1.5

Selected By: CCGCH
Co-sponsored By: Neonatal

Chair(s)

Susan Niermeyer, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)

Professor Emerita of Pediatrics
University of Colorado School of Medicine, Colorado School of Public Health
Denver, Colorado, United States
Ola Andersson, MD PhD (he/him/his)

Associate professor
Lund University
Halmstad, Hallands Lan, Sweden

Disclosure(s):

Susan Niermeyer, MD, MPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Ola Andersson, n/a: Chiesi (Ongoing) (Products/Services: Speaker Honorarium including speakers bureau, symposia, and expert witness)

This panel discussion will explore simple yet powerful interventions that significantly impact neonatal survival in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our expert panel will examine low-cost, high-impact approaches aimed primarily at effective implementation in LMICs, while also highlighting their relevance for optimizing neonatal outcomes in high-resource settings.

Dr. Susan Niermeyer will provide historical context on global efforts to reduce newborn deaths, discussing the evolution of programs like Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Babies Survive. Her insights on adapting interventions for resource-limited settings will set the stage for our discussion.

Dr. Sara Berkelhamer will present the current WHO Essential Newborn Care Course, highlighting key elements such as effective resuscitation, thermal support, preventative care, and early breastfeeding initiation. She will highlight how simple interventions and skills-based education can dramatically improve newborn outcomes and optimize care delivery.

Dr. Ola Andersson will present evidence on how delayed cord clamping and intact cord resuscitation can reduce neonatal mortality. He will demonstrate the interventions' benefits for anemia and neurodevelopment, and outline practical implementation strategies for diverse clinical settings.

Dr. Harish Chellani will provide new evidence on Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and Mother-Newborn Couplet Care models, sharing his experience in India and other LMICs. He will highlight strategies for overcoming barriers to KMC implementation.

Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of evidence-based strategies to improve neonatal outcomes in LMICs, with broader implications for practice in high-resource settings. The session will conclude with a discussion on future directions for research and implementation to further reduce neonatal mortality globally.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will be able to describe three low-cost interventions that significantly reduce neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
Upon completion, participants will be able to explain how Essential Newborn Care, delayed cord clamping, and Kangaroo Mother Care work together to improve neonatal outcomes.
Upon completion, participants will be able to analyze challenges and opportunities for implementing evidence-based neonatal care practices in health systems of low- and middle-income countries.

Presentations:

10:00am – 10:15am HST

Introduction and Historical Context
Speaker: Susan Niermeyer, MD, MPH (she/her/hers) – University of Colorado School of Medicine, Colorado School of Public Health
10:15am – 10:35am HST

WHO Essential Newborn Care – Transition from Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Babies Survive
Speaker: Sara Berkelhamer, MD (she/her/hers) – University of Washington
10:35am – 10:55am HST

Keeping the Cord Intact
Speaker: Ola Andersson, MD PhD (he/him/his) – Lund University
10:55am – 11:15am HST

Kangaroo Mother Care/mother-newborn Couplet Care
Speaker: Pratima Mittal, MD – Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital / Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
11:15am – 11:30am HST

Q & A