Determinants of maternal temperature during labor

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neonatal Physiology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Accurate intrapartum maternal temperature monitoring is crucial for understanding maternal and fetal well-being.
• Laboring mothers exhibit physiological changes like hyperventilation and perspiration, complicating temperature assessment.
• Defining a 'normal' maternal temperature range during labor is challenging due to these variables.

Observation:

• Maternal temperatures were measured in 50 cases, influenced by physical activity, hyperventilation, and perspiration.
• Calm, less active mothers tended to have higher recorded temperatures.
• Neonatal rectal temperature immediately post-birth showed the strongest correlation with maternal vaginal temperature.

Findings:

• Hyperventilation and physical activity in laboring women make standard maternal temperature interpretation difficult.
• Maternal vaginal temperature appears to be a more reliable indicator than other measures for correlating with neonatal temperature.
• Two case examples suggest fetal distress, characterized by tachycardia and reduced placental function, may manifest as isolated fetal hyperthermia.

Implications:

• This study highlights the complexity of intrapartum maternal thermoregulation and its impact on neonatal temperature.
• Findings suggest a potential link between maternal and fetal hyperthermia, particularly in cases of fetal distress.
• Further research into fetal thermoregulation and the clinical significance of intrapartum temperature variations is warranted.