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Standard care with plastic bag or portable thermal nest to prevent hypothermia at birth: a three-armed randomized controlled trial

Journal of Perinatology volume 38, pages 1324–1330 (2018)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To assess the efficacy of adding plastic bag or portable thermal nest (PTN) to standard care in preventing hypothermia soon after birth in 1500–2499 g infants.

Methods

Infants were randomized into standard thermal care alone, plastic bag with standard care or PTN with standard care. Axillary temperature was measured at admission and every 30 min till euthermia. All babies were followed-up till day 7.

Results

We recruited 300 infants: plastic bag (101), PTN (99) and standard care group (100). Admission temperature was 36.4 °C (0.52) in plastic bag group, 36.3 °C (0.50) in PTN and 36.1 °C (0.59) in standard care group (p < 0.001). Incidence of hypothermia was lowest in plastic bag group (44.6%), followed by PTN (60%) and standard care (67%). Secondary outcomes were comparable.

Conclusion

Addition of plastic bag or PTN to standard care significantly reduces incidence and duration of hypothermia soon after birth. Plastic bag is more effective than PTN.

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Funding

The study was supported by the research funds of Christian Medical College Vellore and the Department of Neonatology. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Author contributions

MPS and TA conceptualized and designed the study, collected and analyzed data, drafted the initial manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript. DD contributed to study design, collected data, reviewed and revised the manuscript. GR contributed to study design, analyzed data and reviewed and revised the manuscript. NT conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated and supervised the conduct of the study, analyzed data and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

    Machilakath Panangandi Shabeer, Thangaraj Abiramalatha & Niranjan Thomas

  2. Department of Maternity Nursing, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

    Davidpaul Devakirubai

  3. Department of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

    Grace Rebekah

Authors
  1. Machilakath Panangandi Shabeer
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  2. Thangaraj Abiramalatha
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  4. Grace Rebekah
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Niranjan Thomas.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India, CTRI/2016/02/006673.

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Shabeer, M.P., Abiramalatha, T., Devakirubai, D. et al. Standard care with plastic bag or portable thermal nest to prevent hypothermia at birth: a three-armed randomized controlled trial. J Perinatol 38, 1324–1330 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0169-9

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