A Comparison of Three Methods of Regulating the Body Temperatures of Healthy Full-term Newborns

Abstract

Hypothermia is a common problem in neonates, and regulating the body temperatures of newborns is important in a neonatal care facility. Our study was designed to compare three methods of regulating body temperature of healthy full-term babies. All newborns after birth were clothed and rectal temperatures were taken. Healthy babies with rectal temperatures greater than 36.5 ℃ were enrolled in the study. They were divided randomly into three groups: group A wore cotton hats, group B were placed under heat lamps, and group C wore cotton hats and were placed under heat lamps. Axillary temperatures were taken every hour and recorded for 12 hours. There were 30 full-term babies in each group, with a total of 90 healthy babies. After statistical analysis using ANOVA, the basic data, including gestational age, birth body weight, 1(superscript st) and 5(superscript th) Apgar scores and sex, of the infants in these three groups did not show significant differences. The body temperatures of each group showed similar increases during the 12-hour period. No baby had hypothermia during the study. All three methods of regulating newborn temperatures, compared with each other using repeated measurements with Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE), showed similar efficiencies. Therefore, we concluded that the heat lamp was not necessary in the management of the body temperature of healthy full-term babies with initial rectal temperature ＞36.5℃. In addition to the routine care, a cotton hat worn by the newborn was enough to prevent hypothermia.