Brief report. Risk factors associated with neonatal hypothermia during cleaning of newborn infants in labour rooms
Open Access
- 1 February 2000
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
- Vol. 46 (1) , 46-50
- https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/46.1.46
Abstract
Cleaning newborn infants with coconut oil shortly after birth is a common practice in Malaysian labour rooms. This study aimed: (1) to determine whether this practice was associated with a significant decrease in the core temperature of infants; and (2) to identify significant risk factors associated with neonatal hypothermia. The core temperature of 227 randomly selected normal-term infants immediately before and after cleaning in labour rooms was measured with an infrared tympanic thermometer inserted into their left ears. Their mean post-cleaning body temperature (36.6°C, SD=1.0) was significantly lower than their mean pre-cleaning temperature (37.1°C, SD=1.0; pp=0.03); and (2) lower labour room temperature (ppp0.001); and (3) longer duration of cleaning (p=0.002). In conclusion, to prevent neonatal hypothermia, labour room temperature should be set at a higher level and cleaning infants in the labour room should be discouraged.Keywords
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