Skin InteGrity in extreme preterms research NETwork (SIGNET) - improving skin care for the most immature infants
- 5 January 2026
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Nature in Journal of Perinatology
- p. 1-5
Abstract
Increased survival of preterm infants born <28 weeks’ gestation brings new challenges for healthcare teams and families, particularly in the absence of high-quality, population-specific evidence to guide optimal skin care. Skin integrity is critical for preventing infection, reducing pain, and minimizing fluid loss. However, variations in care, delivery models, geographic settings, and clinician expertise continue to influence outcomes—impacting both immediate survival, long-term morbidity and mortality. This review outlines the key challenges associated with delivering safe and effective skin care for extremely preterm infants; identifies priority areas for research and benchmarking, and proposes a collaborative approach to address these gaps. The Skin InteGrity in extreme preterms research NETwork (SIGNET) collaborative seeks to align outcome measures, generate essential physiological data, promote knowledge exchange, and develop practical, evidence-based tools to support consistent, high-quality care for these uniquely vulnerable patients.Keywords
This publication has 25 references indexed in Scilit:
- Developing a consumer- and clinician-led evidence-informed research agenda for public neonatal servicesAustralian Critical Care, 2025
- Physiology of extremely preterm infants2024
- Thermoregulation, incubator humidity, and skincare practices in appropriate for gestational age ultra-low birth weight infants: need for more evidenceWorld Journal of Pediatrics, 2024
- Global variation in skin injures and skincare practices in extremely preterm infantsWorld Journal of Pediatrics, 2022
- Evaluation of the consistency of neonatal skin injury assessment using clinical images and the metric and graduated colour toolJournal of Tissue Viability, 2022
- The proactive approach to mother-infant dyads at 22-24 weeks of gestation: Perspectives from a Swedish centerSeminars in Perinatology, 2022
- Fluid management considerations in extremely preterm infants born at 22-24 weeks of gestationSeminars in Perinatology, 2022
- Impact of 1% chlorhexidine gluconate bathing and emollient application on bacterial pathogen colonization dynamics in hospitalized preterm neonates – A pilot clinical trialeClinicalMedicine, 2021
- An Immature Science: Intensive Care for Infants Born at ≤23 Weeks of GestationThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2021
- Ambient humidity influences the rate of skin barrier maturation in extremely preterm infantsThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2006