Effectiveness of hypothermia prevention devices for preterm infants: A laboratory study.

BACKGROUND

Newborn hypothermia at birth remains as global challenge across all settings. The prevention of delivery room hypothermia at birth could potentially reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the heat conservation efficacy of Neohelp and Neowrap and evaluate the heat production efficacy of trans-warmer infant mattress (TWM) in a laboratory setting.

METHODS

A beaker of water was heated at 60∘C was covered by Neohelp or two layers of Neowrap and left to cool in an open room for 90 minutes and calculated the decay constant. Using infra-red camera, we measured the maximum temperature and time taken to reach the temperature in the TWM.

RESULTS

Neowrap took 863 seconds for the temperature to drop from 37∘C to 35∘C, compared with 941 seconds with Neohelp. When activated TWM reached a maximum temperature of 39.3 ± 0.1∘C. It took 30 seconds when the activator was placed in the centre, compared with 88 seconds when it was at the corner.

CONCLUSION

Compared to Neowrap, Neohelp had better heat conservation properties. Activating the metal disk from the TWM center would deliver quicker heat.