title: Risk factors associated with neonatal hypothermia during cleaning of newborn infants in labour rooms.
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 degrees C, SD = 1.0) was significantly lower than their mean pre-cleaning temperature (37.1 degrees C, SD = 1.0; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors significantly associated with pre-cleaning hypothermia (< 36.5 degrees C) were: (1) not being placed under radiant warmer before cleaning p = 0.03); and (2) lower labour room temperature (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis also showed that the risk factors significantly associated with post-cleaning hypothermia were: (1) lower labour room temperature (p < 0.001); (2) lower pre-cleaning body temperature (p < 0.001); 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Boo
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003696:Delivery Rooms; D005260:Female; D006361:Heating / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors