Randomised study of skin-to-skin versus incubator care for rewarming low-risk hypothermic neonates

Abstract

In neonates, an admission temperature of less than 36 O C is associated with or contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. 1 Skin-to-skin (STS) care prevents neonatal hypothermia 2 but has not been investigated for treatment of hypothermia. We compared STS with incubator care for rewarming low-risk infants with hypothermia. 80 consecutive low-risk hypothermic infants (clinically stable with admission weight of � 1500 g, absence of respiratory distress, no cyanosis or overt sepsis, not requiring oxygen or intravenous fluids, and no major congenital malformations), admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care unit, at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomly assigned treatment with STS care by the mother (n=41) or in an incubator (n=39). The study was explained to the mother or parents and we obtained her or their consent before assignment to study groups. Incubator temperature was 35 O