Warming Mattress Versus Polyethylene Wrapping to Prevent Hypothermia in Preterm Newborns.

Thermal Defense of Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGANs) During Resuscitation: Exothermic Mattresses vs. Polyethylene Wrap

Mean axillary temperatures, taken during NICU resuscitation upon admission to the NICU, will not differ between VLBW babies who are occlusively wrapped and very low birth weight (VLBW) babies who are placed on thermal warming blankets.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants in this study will be selected from the inborn population at University Hospital. Eligible patients will be selected from the group of babies with estimated gestational ages of 24-28 weeks and <1250g.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Congenital anomalies with open lesions such as meningomyelocele, or omphaloceles

• Blistering skin conditions

• Resuscitation not performed secondary to infant being below limits of viability as assessed by the in-house attending physician (specifically, according to current NRP recommendations):

  • Where gestation, birth weight, and/or congenital anomalies are associated with almost certain early death, and unacceptably high morbidity is likely among the rare survivors, resuscitation is not indicated. Exceptions may be made based on parental desires.

    • Newborns with confirmed gestation age of less than 24 weeks or birth weight less than 400 grams
    • Anencephaly
    • Confirmed Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18 syndrome
    • Meconium staining of amniotic fluid
    • Birth assessment of gestational age > 28 weeks or >1250 grams
    • Maternal temp >38 degrees C around the time of delivery.