Nursery admission temperature in immature newborns: the effects of birth-arrival interval and asphyxia

The results of a study on 175 immature neonates of less than 37-weeks gestation born at the University Hospital of the West Indies between August, 1973 and March, 1975 and transferred directly from the delivery area to the nursery have been presented. The mean birth weight was 1,766 grams and the mean gestation age 33.4 weeks. The mean admission temperature was 35.2§C (95.4§F) which was significantly related to a long birth-arrival interval, the mean for which was 30.2 minutes. Severe neonatal asphyxia resulted in lower mean admission temperatures in spite of more rapid transfer (AU)