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Temperature Drop in Normal Term Newborn Infants Born at the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur
Author(s) -
Raman S.,
Shahla A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1992.tb01921.x
Subject(s) - kuala lumpur , term (time) , university hospital , medicine , drop (telecommunication) , full term , pediatrics , family medicine , telecommunications , engineering , physics , pregnancy , biology , business , marketing , genetics , quantum mechanics
EDITORIAL COMMENT : This paper was accepted for publication to remind readers that newborn infants, especially if premature, should promptly be dried, wrapped and placed in a cot. It is recommended that at about 1 hour of age, if the temperature is normal (≥ 36.5 o C per axilla, 36.8 o C per rectum) and stable, the baby is undressed for measurement, estimation of birth‐weight and the routine examination. Our paediatrician reviewer commented that many obstetricians may have forgotten the importance of prevention of cooling of the newborn infant, the care of whom is usually left to members of the nursing staff. We all agree that bonding between mother and baby is important but should not delay the baby being dried and covered promptly after birth. Summary: A prospective study of temperature drop in 141 normal term newborn infants delivered vaginally at the labour ward, University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur were studied. The effect of various manoeuvres on the temperature drop were also studied. They were randomized into 3 study groups, 63 cases where the babies were wiped with dry cloth alone, 37 cases where the babies were put into a plastic bag immediately after birth and lastly 41 cases where the babies were wiped with dry cloth and then inserted into a plastic bag. There was significant temperature drop in all the 3 groups maximum in the first 15 minutes and the fall continued for 1 hour after delivery (p< 0.001). This shows that in an airconditioned labour ward in a tropical country the temperature fall in newborn infants can be significant. This study also showed that plastic is a poor insulator against significant temperature drop.