Comparison of temperatures at different sites in term and pre-term neonates

Temperatures of 30 term and 20 preterm neonates were recorded by mercury-in-glass thermometer at 4 measurement sites; rectum (2 cm beyond anus), external auditory canal, axilla and between skin and mattress. Whereas, the mean rectal and aural temperatures in term infants were significantly higher than their preterm counterparts (p less than 0.01), axillary and skin mattress temperatures did not differ significantly in the two groups. The variation between stabilized temperature at four measurement sites was less marked in preterm as compared to term infants. The skin mattress temperature measurement is a simpler technique and it closely approximates the rectal temperature in preterm infants. Temperatures at all the measurement sites stabilized by 5 minutes both in term and preterm infants.