Pediatrix Clinicians in the News

In addition to the highly specialized care our clinicians provide to patients across the country every day, many also serve as go-to expert sources for top national and regional media outlets. Pediatrix® clinicians regularly contribute to news articles, sharing their expertise to help educate readers on a wide variety of popular topics related to women's and children's health, as well as unique stories of innovative patient care.

Here's a roundup of some of the latest stories:

Sanjie Garza-Cox, M.D., neonatologist, spoke with Parents about how to set up a safe feeding space in response to a recent study that found that more than one in four moms have fallen asleep while feeding, which increases the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome. Dr. Garza-Cox advised that back is best for baby. "Once the infant falls asleep, remove the infant from the breastfeeding [or bottle feeding] position and return them to their safe sleeping environment-a bare bassinet or crib, and on their back every time," she said.

Melanie Lagomichos, D.O., obstetrician-gynecologist, spoke with Babylist about the six hormones that prep the body for pregnancy and are responsible for some of the unpleasant side effects. One is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which alerts the body of pregnancy and triggers morning sickness. Dr. Lagomichos shared that it's one of the first symptoms one might notice, and one of the main reasons for those initial suspicions of pregnancy. "The good news is that the nausea that follows is a sign of a healthy pregnancy," said Dr. Lagomichos. "But in the moment, I think any pregnant woman dealing with nausea and vomiting will tell you that they'd happily skip these symptoms."

Jenelle Ferry, M.D., neonatologist and director of feeding, nutrition and infant development, spoke with BabyCenter about prenatal milk expression. Colostrum is produced late in pregnancy, which can be expressed and saved for baby. However, the benefits are not widely known, as there isn't adequate research on the practice. "Many of the studies done have been observational or reporting what mothers have done and what their outcomes were," said Dr. Ferry. "The limited data we have makes it difficult to support a specific recommendation."

Zachary Hoy, M.D., pediatric infectious disease specialist, spoke with HuffPost about surging walking pneumonia cases. The infection is caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae and damages the lining of the respiratory tract. "The biggest takeaway is that mycoplasma infections are generally mild and improve without antibiotics," said Dr. Hoy. One reason for the surge is that testing methods have improved in recent years, allowing doctors to detect more cases. "There are better ways to diagnose M. pneumoniae infections with new diagnostic PCR swabs that may identify cases in 2024 that would not be picked up on testing before 2020," he said.

Maria Navarro, M.D., neonatologist, spoke to KSNT-TV, the Topeka, Kansas, NBC affiliate, about the care of micropreemie twins Henry and Hudson Whorton, who were born at 24 weeks weighing just under two pounds. After spending more than 100 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the twins have defied all odds. They turned one this summer and are flourishing. "Every organ system here is premature and we have to take great care because they are really fragile," said Dr. Navarro. "With advances in medical care, babies who are born preterm are more likely to survive than ever before."

Anushka Chelliah, M.D., maternal-fetal medicine specialist, spoke with Parents about RSV vaccination during pregnancy. Dr. Chelliah shared that based on available research, the RSV shot appears to be safe during pregnancy, though "the vaccine should not be administered to a person with a history of severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis to any components of the vaccine." In addition to vaccination, another way to help protect babies against RSV infection or serious illness is through breastfeeding. "After birth, breastfeeding can further deliver protective antibodies, such as the IgA and IgG antibodies through breast milk, providing a secondary layer of protection and defense against RSV and other infections," said Dr. Chelliah.

Preeti Singh, M.D., neonatologist, spoke with WAGA-TV, the Atlanta, Georgia, Fox affiliate, about the care of micropreemie Edyn White, who was born at 26 weeks weighing just over a pound and a half. Edyn overcame many obstacles during a four-month stay in the NICU. Today, she is thriving and celebrated her third birthday in November. "Given all the complications she had and how little she was born, I'm glad she made it through," said Dr. Singh. "It just tells how strong she is to overcome everything. That's the story of her strength and perseverance. I hope she will take those qualities forward in her life."

Tania Lopez, certified nurse-midwife, spoke with The Bump about the 5-5-5 postpartum rule, which encourages 15 days of dedicated rest following delivery - five days in the bed, five days on the bed and five days around the bed. "By setting intentional rest time and creating boundaries, the new mom may ease into caring for the newest family member, allowing her time to recover from childbirth," said Lopez. She also touched on the challenges of the rule. "Most people are not fully recovered after 15 days postpartum, and the recovery period may need to be extended up to six to 12 weeks depending on factors affecting birth and recovery." She added that it could be detrimental to mental health as it has the potential to be isolating, especially in the early days.

To view additional stories, visit the Pediatrix newsroom.

Members of the media, we invite you to view our multispecialty media panel and request an expert source via email.