Prevention and treatment of low temperature of early newborn infants

Abstract

Early newborns, especially premature and very low birth weight infants(VLBWI)are vulnerable to low environmental temperature and/or other factors at birth, they may be insufficient to maintain core body and can cause hypothermia which leads to a variety of disease, affecting their life quality.As the birth rate of premature newborns and VLBWI are increasing in China these years, newborns temperature management have become significant for decreasing newborn′s mortality.The main causes for hypothermia are low environmental temperature, insufficient calorie intake, premature newborns, low birth weight and other diseases.Studies shown that the prevention strategies of neonatal hypothermia include: (1)thermal neutral zone; (2)incutators and radiant warmers; (3)plastic hoods and plastic blankets; (4)kangaroo care; (5)breast feeding. Key words: Infant, newborn; Infant, premature; Hypothermia; Environmental temperature