---
title: "Potential Neonatal Donors in Australia: National Cohort Analysis of Eligibility"
id: "pubmed-42686207"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42686207"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Critical Care"
source_name: "PubMed / NCBI"
source_url: "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/"
doi: "10.1542/peds.2025-075110"
published_at: "2026-09-03T00:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Journal Article"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Potential Neonatal Donors in Australia: National Cohort Analysis of Eligibility
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42686207
- **Specialty:** [Critical Care](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/critical-care.md)
- **Primary Source:** PubMed / NCBI
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/)
- **DOI:** [10.1542/peds.2025-075110](https://doi.org/10.1542%2Fpeds.2025-075110)
- **Published At:** 2026-09-03T00:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Journal Article
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- This national cohort study used Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN) data from 23 tertiary neonatal intensive care units covering deaths between 2012 and 2022 to assess **neonatal** organ donation potential. - Of 1,760 infants who died, 750 (43%) met study inclusion criteria for evaluation of donation eligibility. - Cause-of-death classification separated deaths into neurological (307 infants) and non-neurological causes (443 infants) for pathway-specific eligibility assessment. - Among the 307 neurological deaths, 65 (21%) were potentially eligible for donation via **neurological death** criteria and 242 (79%) via **donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD)**. - Among 443 infants who died of non-neurological causes, 257 (58%) met criteria for **donation after circulatory death**. - Eligibility determinations used International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes and ANZNN morbidity data. - Major reasons for ineligibility included multiorgan failure, active infection at time of death, chromosomal or genetic disorders, multiple or complex congenital anomalies, intra-abdominal pathologies (including necrotizing enterocolitis), and metabolic, hematological, or lymphatic disorders. - The authors conclude neonates are an underused donor population and that more than half of neonates dying from non-neurological causes could be candidates for **donation after circulatory determination of death**. - The study highlights the need for consistent referral criteria and streamlined clinical pathways to increase neonatal donation opportunities.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
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Online ahead of print. # Potential Neonatal Donors in Australia: A National Cohort Study [Rebecca Barzegar](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Barzegar+R&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 1 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-1 "Department of Newborn Care, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-2 "University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia."), [Elena Cavazzoni](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Cavazzoni+E&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 3 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-3 "Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 4 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-4 "NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 5 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-5 "Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia."), [Himanshu Popat](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Popat+H&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 5 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-5 "Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 6 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-6 "Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia."), [Germaine Wong](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Wong+G&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 7 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-7 "Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 8 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-8 "Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 9 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#full-view-affiliation-9 "Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.") Affiliations Expand ### Affiliations * 1 Department of Newborn Care, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 2 University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia. * 3 Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 4 NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 5 Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. * 6 Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 7 Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 8 Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 9 Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * PMID: **42686207** * DOI: [ 10.1542/peds.2025-075110 ](https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-075110) Item in Clipboard # Potential Neonatal Donors in Australia: A National Cohort Study Rebecca Barzegar et al. Pediatrics. 2026. Show details Display options Display options Format Abstract PubMed PMID Pediatrics Actions * [ Search in PubMed ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Pediatrics%22%5Bjour%5D&sort=date&sort_order=desc) * [ Search in NLM Catalog ](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog?term=%22Pediatrics%22%5BTitle+Abbreviation%5D) * [ Add to Search ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/) . 2026 Sep 3:e2025075110. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-075110. Online ahead of print. ### Authors [Rebecca Barzegar](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Barzegar+R&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 1 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-1 "Department of Newborn Care, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-2 "University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia."), [Elena Cavazzoni](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Cavazzoni+E&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 3 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-3 "Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 4 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-4 "NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 5 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-5 "Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia."), [Himanshu Popat](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Popat+H&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 5 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-5 "Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 6 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-6 "Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia."), [Germaine Wong](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Wong+G&cauthor_id=42686207)[ 7 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-7 "Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 8 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-8 "Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.")[ 9 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42686207/#short-view-affiliation-9 "Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.") ### Affiliations * 1 Department of Newborn Care, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 2 University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia. * 3 Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 4 NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 5 Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. * 6 Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 7 Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 8 Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * 9 Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. * PMID: **42686207** * DOI: [ 10.1542/peds.2025-075110 ](https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-075110) Item in Clipboard Cite Display options Display options Format Abstract PubMed PMID ## Abstract **Background and objective:** Neonatal organ donation could significantly expand the deceased donor pool, but referral pathways and acceptance criteria remain highly variable worldwide and determination of neurological death in neonatal patients has traditionally been considered challenging. Our national study aimed to determine the potential proportion of neonates eligible for donation after neurological and circulatory determination of death in Australia and to identify reasons for ineligibility. **Methods:** We analyzed the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network data for neonates who died in one of 23 tertiary neonatal intensive care units between 2012 and 2022. Donation eligibility via neurological or circulatory death pathways were determined using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes and Australia and New Zealand Neonatal Network morbidity data. **Results:** Of 1760 infants, 750 (43%) met the inclusion criteria. Neurological causes accounted for 307 deaths; 65 (21%) were potentially eligible for donation via the neurological death pathway and 242 (79%) for donation after circulatory death. Among 443 infants with non-neurological causes of death, 257 (58%) were eligible for donation after circulatory death. Reasons for ineligibility included multiorgan failure, active infection at time of death, underlying chromosomal or genetic disorders, birth with multiple or complex congenital anomalies, intra-abdominal pathologies inclusive of necrotizing enterocolitis, and underlying disorders of metabolic, hematological, or lymphatic origin. **Conclusion:** Neonates represent a potentially underused donor population, with more than half of those dying of non-neurological causes meeting criteria for donation after circulatory determination of death. Consistent referral criteria and streamlined clinical pathways are needed to maximize donation opportunities. Copyright © 2026 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 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