The frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonatal (d 34 weeks gestation) during transportation from the labour room to the neonatal intensive care unit
Date of Award
2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)
Department
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan
Abstract
Neonates develop hypothermia soon after birth due to their underdeveloped thermoregulation mechanism at the time of birth and large body surface area, as compared to their weight. Neonates develop hypothermia through the mechanism of conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation. There are other factors that also play an important role in developing hypothermia in neonates. Objectives: To identify the frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonates 34 weeks of gestation) during transportation from the labour room to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), at a tertiary care hospital, Karachi. Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study design used to determine the frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonates (<34 weeks of gestation) during transportation from the labour room to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A sample of 107 preterm neonates (<34 weeks of gestation) were recruited, who were admitted directly from the labour room to the NICU. Data were analysed using SPSS v. 20. The descriptive analysis for continuous variables were reported as mean and standard deviation/median (1QR) and were assessed by t-test/Wilcoxin rant sum test (Mann Whitney test). For other categorical varialbles, percentages were reported and were assessed by Chisquare/ Fisher's exact test to determine the relationship of different factors with hypothermia in neonates. Moreover, means of body temperature of neonates were also measured at four different intervals (i.e. from one minute of birth till arrival at the NICU), which was assessed by Repeated Measure ANOVA and post hoc test (Bonferroni).Results: The present study findings showed the frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonates (< 34 weeks of gestation) on admission to the NICU was; n=85 (79.4%). A significant association was observed among gestational age, birth weight, and APGAR scores at one and five minutes of birth, and hypothermia on admission to the NICU (p-value <0.05). There was a significant difference observed in the incubator/warmer and body temperature at different time intervals; i.e from one minute of birth till the arrival at the NICU, among preterm neonates (< 34 weeks of gestation) (p-value <0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that there was a high frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonates (< 34 weeks of gestation) during their transportation from the labour room to the NICU. The factors that were found to be associated with hypothermia were gestational age, birth weight, and APGAR scores. There was a significant difference in the incubator/warmer temperatures at four different time intervals, which may lead to hypothermia in the preterm neonates.
Recommended Citation
Padaniya, A. M. (2018). The frequency of hypothermia in preterm neonatal (d 34 weeks gestation) during transportation from the labour room to the neonatal intensive care unit (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.