Martin's Neonatology Days 2023
On May 17th and 18th, 2023, the esteemed halls of the Aula Magna at the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Martin echoed with learned discussions and innovative ideas. The occasion was the 17th iteration of Martin's Neonatology Days, subtitled "Neonatology in Practice". This event attracted a broad spectrum of experts not just from Slovakia but also from other countries.
"One of our main focuses, apart from addressing current issues concerning the optimization of hospital networks, was the care for children born at the brink of viability. This has been a resonating subject within the field of neonatology in Martin," reported Prof. Mirko Zibolen, MD, PhD, the event's professional guarantor and the Head of the Neonatology Clinic at University Hospital Martin and Jessenius Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Martin.
In recognition of the significance of this theme, numerous specialists from the Czech Republic also participated in the conference. Among them was Prof. Richard Plavka, MD, PhD from the General University Hospital in Prague, a renowned authority in caring for extremely immature newborns and a leading figure in European neonatology.
In Slovakia, the viability threshold for a newborn is set at the 24th week of pregnancy, which ideally lasts for an average of 40 weeks. The Neonatology Clinic, renowned for its Center of Urgent Care for critically ill newborns, is the only institution in Slovakia that provides medical care to children born just below this threshold of viability.
"We are referring to children born during the 22nd or at most, the 23rd week of pregnancy, with a birth weight of around 400 grams. All their organs are still under development, necessitating highly specialized care and a unique approach," explained Prof. Zibolen. Although the trend of premature births is on the rise in Slovakia, the number of extremely immature newborns born at the brink of viability remains relatively low.
The event was not only a platform for intellectual discourse and debates but also a celebration of notable contributions to the field. Prof. Mirko Zibolen and Prof. Katarína Maťašová received accolades from Dr. Milan Kucht, PhD, the chairman of the Slovak Pediatric Society, recognizing their outstanding work and contributions to neonatology in Slovakia.