This book has been written to summarise the available knowledge regarding transcutaneous bilirubinometry, the first technique that allows a completely non-invasive measurement of a clinical variable. This technique led to important changes in the management of neonatal jaundice, the most common clinical condition of new-born infants world-wide. Transcutaneous bilirubinometry has its roots in the old observation that yellow skin colour is due to the deposition of bilirubin, a chromophore molecule. More recently, transcutaneous bilirubinometry has involved many disciplines; and accordingly, this book has contributions from physicists, biologists, paediatric dermatologists and neonatologists who have clinical research expertise in the field of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. We hope that this book may prompt the advancement of research that will answer the as-yet unanswered questions, improve the reliability and usefulness of transcutaneous bilirubinometry, and respond to the clinical needs of our little patients.

COVID19 pandemics has had profound consequences on public health and has represented a challenge for several medical specialties. Despite this was underestimated at the beginning of the outbreak, COVID19 is actually impacting on women and children health, as well. The consequences in this field are multifaceted and complex as they span from the occurrence of COVID19 in pregnant patients, to the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 mother-to-child transmission, the occurrence of neonatal COVID and pediatric sequelae. COVID19 and the related public health measures may also have important consequences on psychological well-being and organization of perinatal care as well as they raise relevant ethical issues. All these aspects were at risk to be forgotten within the many others highlighted by the pandemics but are important both for individual care and also from a political point of view and the organization of care. There is a large demand of high-quality education, information and training in this field and we answered that by organising the COVID19 in Pregnancy and Childhood Days: this book represents the hard legacy of this event with the contribution of key opinion leaders in all the aforementioned specialties. The book is answering a clear need and is directed to: 1) obstetricians, 2) neonatologists, 3) pediatricians, 3) public health specialists, 4) adult critical care physicians, 5) infectious disease specialists, 5) psychologists. Last but not least, the informations resumed in the book are going to be useful for healthcare authorities to program perinatal care and improve it. The book will also serve as textbook for post-graduate courses and academic review resuming the state-of-the art knowledge on this area. Thus, it will be cited and used by researchers in the field: this is not a secondary characteristics as it may be quite difficult to find relevant informations, in this infodemic era, using the usual channels and databases.