Similar articles

Abstract: Objective: To determine the range of body temperature in a group of healthy Chinese term neonates over the first 72 hours of life and to assess the influence of body weight, gestational age and route of delivery. Method: All 200 consecutive cases of neonates delivered at our hospital from March to August 2001 were included in this retrospective study. Temperatures were measured immediately after delivery, after 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 8 hours and 15 hours and on the 2nd and 3rd day. axillary temperatures ranging from 36.5 °C to 37 °C were regarded as normal. No cases of maternal fever or systemic infection of the newborns were discovered. All infants were discharged in good general condition. Results: The mean rectal temperature at birth was 37.19 °C. The lowest average temperature was reached at 1 hour after delivery (36.54 °C) with a significant difference between natural delivery (36.48 °C) and section (36.59 °C) (P<0.05). Temperature subsequently rose to 36.70 °C at 8 hours and 36.78 °C at 15 hours (P<0.05). Hypothermia was seen in 51.8% and hypothermia in 42.5% of the patients. On the 3rd day after delivery, 96% of all temperatures were in the normal range. A significant relation was found between hypothermia and both low birth weight (P<0.001) and low gestational age (P<0.05). Conclusion: The reference range presently used did not include all physiological temperatures in the first 72 hours of life. Considering other factors, such as birth weight, route of delivery, gestational age and body temperature on the 2nd and 3rd day of life, may help to correctly assess the significance of temperatures beyond the reference range.

[1] Azaz, Y., Fleming, P.J., Levine, M., 1992. The relationship between environmental temperatures, metabolic rate, sleep state, and evaporative water loss in infants from birth to three months.Pediatr Res,32:417-423.

[2] Bonadio, W.A., 1993. Defining fever and other aspects of body temperature in infants and children.Pediatr Ann,22:467-473.

[3] Christensson, K., Siles, C., Cabrera, T., Belaustequi, A., de la Fuente, P., Lagercrantz, H., Puyol, P., Winberg, J., 1993. Lower body temperatures in infants delivered by caesarean section than in vaginally delivered infants.Acta Paediatr,82(2):128-131.

[4] Craig, J.V., Lancaster, G.A., Williamson, P.R., Smyth, R.L., 2000. Temperature measured at the axilla compared with rectum in children and young people: systematic review.BMJ,320:1174-1178.

[5] Freeman, R.K., Poland, R.L., 1992. Guidelines for Perinatal Care. 3rd ed, American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL.

[6] Herzog, L.W., Coyne, L.J., 1993. What is fever Normal temperature in infants less than 3 months old.Clin Pediatr (Phila),32(3):142-146.

[7] Keeling, E.B., 1992. Thermoregulation and axillary temperature measurements in neonates: a review of the literature.Matern Child Nurs J,20:124-140.

[8] Klaus, M.H., Fanaroff, A.A., 1986. Care of the High-risk Neonate. 3rd ed, WB Saunders Company, Philadelphia.

[9] Roll, C., Wallot, M., Hanssler, L., 1998. Axillary versus rectal temperature measurement in premature and newborn infants.Geburtshilfe Neonatol,202(5):207-211.

[10] Sitka, U., Weinert, D., Berle, K., Rumler, W., Schuh, J., 1994. Investigations of the rhythmic function of heart rate, blood pressure and temperature in neonates.Eur J Pediatr,153(2):117-122.

[11] Takayama, I.J., Teng, W., Uyemoto, J., Newman, T.B., Pantell, R.H., 2000. Body temperature of newborns: what is normalClin Pediatr,39:503-510.

[12] Waterhouse, J., Weinert, D., Nevill, A., Atkinson, G., Reilly, T., 2000. Some factors influencing the sensitivity of body temperature to activity in neonates.Chronobiol Int,17(5):679-692.