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

Abstract

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 ${}^{\circ }$ 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 $\pm$ 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.