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Approaches to incubator humidification at <25 weeks' gestation and potential impacts on infants
Caitlin M Stoll1,2, Pranav R Jani3,4, Johan Ågren5
1McGovern Medical School at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
Managing incubator humidity for extremely preterm infants (<25 weeks gestation) requires updated practices. This review examines current evidence on humidity
Area of Science:
- Neonatal intensive care
- Perinatal medicine
- Infant physiology
Background:
- Neonatal care advances necessitate reevaluating practices for premature infants.
- Limited evidence exists on optimal incubator humidity for infants <25 weeks gestation.
- Current practices for incubator humidification vary globally.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing evidence on incubator humidification for extremely preterm infants.
- To explore the relationship between humidity and neonatal outcomes.
- To guide best practices in neonatal intensive care units.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of current literature on incubator humidity.
- Analysis of studies focusing on infants born at <25 weeks' gestation.
- Examination of contemporary humidification technologies.
Main Results:
- Humidity impacts neonatal skin maturation, fluid balance, and thermoregulation.
- Evidence synthesis on initiating, maintaining, and weaning humidification.
- Identification of knowledge gaps in current research.
Conclusions:
- Optimal incubator humidity management is crucial for vulnerable preterm infants.
- Further research is needed to establish evidence-based guidelines.
- Standardizing humidification protocols can improve neonatal outcomes.
Abstract:
As neonatal care has advanced and more immature infants are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, we must reevaluate fundamental management practices originally developed for infants born at later gestational ages. Studies have investigated the use of various incubator humidification levels in the care of preterm infants of older gestational ages, but evidence regarding management of ambient humidity for infants born at <25 weeks' gestation using contemporary technology is limited. Uncertainty about the best approach to incubator humidification is reflected in major variation in practice around the world. This article summarizes existing evidence about the use of humidity in incubators and its relationship with neonatal skin maturation, fluid management, temperature regulation, and morbidities. It also describes approaches to starting humidification, duration of humidification, and reducing humidification over time. It concludes with a list of important questions requiring future research.
