A Randomized Controlled Trial of Evaluating the Efficacy of Alternative Swaddles for Body Temperature Control of Newborns

Abstract

Background/Aim: The critical drop of body temperature in neonatal termed “hypothermia” increases risk of morbidity and mortality. In order to minimize hypothermia during delivery room to nursery transportation, we trialed for appropriate alternative means of aluminum coated fabric (ACF), cotton swaddle, and their combination. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of aluminum coated fabric, cotton swaddle, and combined method to prevent neonatal hypothermia. Patients and Methods: One hundred and seventy-four of eligible infants (birth weight more than 2,500 g) were randomized into three groups (55 infants in aluminum coated fabric, 60 in combined aluminum coated fabric with cotton swaddle, and 59 in cotton swaddle as a control). Rectal temperature was determined before swaddling and arriving at nursery. Results: There was no significant difference in antenatal and perinatal factors. Normothermia was detected in 50, 52, and 55 infants and decrease body temperature from its baseline were evidenced in 25, 24, and 14 infants swaddling with aluminum coated fabric, combined aluminum coated fabric with cotton swaddle and cotton swaddle, respectively (p=0.425 and p=0.210). Interestingly, results indicated that the use of cotton swaddle, ACF, and their combination could reduce the number of hypothermic infants from 4, 3, and 6 to 0, 5, and 1, respectively, pointing that the use of cotton swaddle exhibited the maximum hypothermia recovery potential. Conclusion: The cotton swaddle showed the dominant hypothermal control over ACF and combination of cotton swaddle and ACF. These findings may benefit the development of new strategies for hypothermia prevention in newborns.