Perinatology.  2018 Mar;29(1):20-26. 10.14734/PN.2018.29.1.20.

Risk Factors Associated with Hypothermia Immediately after Birth among Preterm Infants

• An J
• Jin BK
• Jo HS
• Kim HR
• Cho KH
• Lee KH

• KMID: 2409108
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14734/PN.2018.29.1.20

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of initial body temperature in premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and to reveal the perinatal risk factors that may affect the incidence of hypothermia immediately after birth.
METHODS
The subjects were 402 preterm infants born in CHA Bundang Medical Center at less than 32 weeks of gestation between January 2008 and December 2015. They were divided into two groups, the hypothermic group (body temperature < 36℃) and the normothermic group (body temperature 36-37.5℃), and compared to investigate the distribution of body temperature. We also investigated perinatal characteristics associated with hypothermia at admission and 2 hours after admission.
RESULTS
The incidence of hypothermia at admission was 33.5% in all patients, 50.9% of gestational age below 28 weeks and 48.4% of birth weight less than 1,000 g. Twenty-five (6.2%) infants did not gain appropriate body temperature within two hours after birth. Logistic regression analysis results showed that low birth weight, 1 minute Apgar score of < 7 and gestational diabetes were hypothermic risk factors immediately after admission.
CONCLUSION
To prevent hypothermia at the time of admission in premature infants, more active treatment is needed to maintain body temperature from the place of delivery when gestational diabetes mellitus or Apgar score of < 7 is present, in addition to low birth weight.

Keyword

Hypothermia; Premature infants; Risk factors

MeSH Terms

Apgar Score
Birth Weight
Body Temperature
Diabetes, Gestational
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Hypothermia*
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Logistic Models
Parturition*
Pregnancy
Risk Factors*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Body temperature distribution at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and 2 hours after hospitalization. NT0, normal body temperature group at NICU admission (n=267; 66.5%); HT0, hypothermia group at NICU admission (n=135; 33.5%); NT2, normal body temperature group at 2 hours in hospital (n=366; 91.1%); HT2, hypothermia group at 2 hours in hospital (n=34; 8.4%); a, continuous normal body temperature group (n=256; 63.8%); b: group whose body temperature decreased from normal (n=9; 2.2%); c, hyperthermia group at 2 hours in hospital (n=2; 0.5%); d, group whose body temperature improved to normal (n=110; 27.3%); e, continuously hypothermic group (n=25; 6.2%).

• 

  Fig. 2 Distribution of initial temperature at neonatal intensive care unit admission according to gestational age.

• 

  Fig. 3 Distribution of initial temperature at neonatal intensive care unit admission according to birth weight.

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