Released only a month ago, a revised AAP clinical report from the Committee on Fetus and Newborn and the Section on Neurology offers evidence-based guidance on therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal HIE and addresses some of the gaps in knowledge. You know what that means!
We are bringing you a breakdown of the paper, inside information from the author and an international expert discussion at our second Global Neonatal Update of 2026 on March 18th, 17:00 AEDT | 14:00 SGT.
Therapeutic hypothermia is the only therapy shown to improve long-term outcomes for HIE, and has been recommended by the AAP since 2010 as a standard of care for neonates born at or after 36 weeks’ gestation with moderate-to-severe HIE in high-income countries. However, the accurate identification of neonates eligible for therapeutic hypothermia remains challenging.
What to do when HIE is "mild"? What do we do for infants who are born at 34 or 35 weeks' gestation with HIE? What about cooling in lower-middle income countries? Are there any new therapies that might help?
We are going to try and answer all of these question! Prof Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, Professor of Nursing, at George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA, and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with Pediatrix will review the updated AAP therapeutic hypothermia guidelines. We will have the inside scoop from the first author of the guidelines, A/Prof Santina Zanelli, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
Then our world expert panelists: Prof Nikki Robertson (University College, London, UK) and Prof Jeanie Cheong (The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia), as well as our hosts Prof Brett Manley (Mercy Perinatal, Melbourne, Australia) and Prof Ju Lee Oei (Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Australia) will discuss. As always we will also leave time for all of your questions!
Register and come along to GNJC to hear what the AAP and our expert panel have to say!
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Nikki is Professor of Perinatal Neuroscience at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London (UCL) and at the University of Edinburgh. She is a Consultant Neonatologist at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), with a research focus into neonatal neurology, MRI/MRS and neuroprotection of the newborn brain.
Over the last 20 years at UCL Nikki I have led the UCL Preclinical Neonatal Neuroprotection Research Group. Using this preclincal model, they aim is to develop safe and effective therapies to protect the newborn brain in all settings across the world. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Newborn Brain Society.
Jeanie Cheong is a consultant neonatologist with expertise in neonatal neurology, neuroimaging and long term follow up. Jeanie is a Honorary Professorial Fellow with the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne and is based at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, where she is the lead Clinician in the High Risk Newborn Follow Up Clinic.
Jeanie’s research expertise is in the long-term health and developmental outcomes of high-risk infants especially those born preterm. She is the Co-Group Leader of the Victorian Infant Brain Studies group, focusing on understanding brain development of preterm newborns and improving their outcomes through various intervention studies.
