Continuous Monitoring of Body Temperature in Mothers and Their Preterm Neonates

Preterm babies are at increased risk of becoming too cold or too warm immediately after birth because they have an immature ability to regulate their body temperature. Maintaining a normal body temperature during the first minutes after birth is important because both low and high body temperatures are associated with an increased risk of complications. Current temperature monitoring is performed intermittently using conventional thermometers and does not provide continuous information about changes in body temperature.

This prospective observational pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using the SteadyTemp® adhesive thermometer, a wireless, non-invasive temperature sensor, for continuous body temperature monitoring in preterm neonates (32+0 to 36+6 weeks of gestation) during the first 15 minutes after birth. The study will also compare temperatures recorded by the adhesive thermometer with a routine rectal temperature measurement and assess skin tolerability after removal of the adhesive patch. In addition, maternal body temperature will be continuously monitored during delivery to explore the relationship between maternal intrapartum temperature and neonatal temperature during the immediate postnatal transition.

The study hypothesizes that continuous temperature monitoring with the SteadyTemp® adhesive thermometer is feasible in preterm neonates, that the recorded temperatures agree with standard rectal temperature measurements, that the device is well tolerated without clinically relevant skin irritation, and that maternal intrapartum temperature correlates with neonatal body temperature during the immediate postnatal transition. The results of this pilot study will provide preliminary evidence to support future studies evaluating continuous, non-invasive temperature monitoring as a tool to improve thermal management of preterm neonates immediately after birth.