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Body temperature of newborns: what is normal?
J I Takayama1, W Teng, J Uyemoto
1Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, 94143-0503, USA.
Clinical Pediatrics
|September 27, 2000
Summary
Newborn infant axillary temperatures are often lower than previously thought. This study suggests expanding the normal temperature range to include these lower readings, as they are not associated with illness.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Establishing normal axillary temperature ranges in newborns is crucial for accurate clinical assessment.
- Previous studies may not fully represent current nursery practices or diverse infant populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the range of axillary temperatures in healthy, full-term newborn infants.
- To identify factors influencing newborn temperature and nursery management strategies.
- To evaluate the clinical significance of temperatures outside previously published normal ranges.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for 203 healthy, full-term infants.
- Analysis of axillary temperatures, birth weight, maternal fever, and infant age.
- Assessment of temperature changes after bathing and nursery interventions.
Main Results:
- Mean birth temperature was 36.5°C, influenced by birth weight and maternal fever.
- Infant temperature increased with age and decreased after bathing.
- 17% of temperatures were below 36.3°C (hypothermic range), with no associated infections.
Conclusions:
- Newborn axillary temperatures in this cohort were lower than traditionally accepted normal ranges.
- The high frequency of low temperatures without illness suggests a need to revise the reference range for newborn temperatures.
- Current nursery management for low temperatures focused on environmental warming, with no further investigation needed in the absence of clinical signs of infection.