Innate Hypothermia after Hypoxic Ischaemic Delivery

The focus of this review is to collate the literature on the phenomenon of impaired thermal adaptation after hypoxic ischaemic (HI) delivery often culminating in hypothermia. This phenomenon appears different in severity and duration to a spontaneous postnatal fall in temperature observed after normal delivery. The original observation and contemporary descriptions of the temperature response to HI are described and a mechanism of action is proposed that may be utilised as a novel biomarker for HI. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel We are born naked, wet and hungry. Without intervention, the inevitable consequence of this state is newborn hypothermia. Historically, infants who have experienced hypoxic ischaemia (HI) during delivery frequently experienced hypothermia [1] . Whilst there is a large body of literature describing the evidence base supporting therapeutic hypothermia after HI encephalopathy, there is scant literature on how antenatal HI impairs human newborn thermal adaptation. The purpose of this review is to collate the evidence around impaired thermal adaptation after HI delivery – a maladaptation sometimes sufficient to result in hypothermia. Received: June 19, 2014 Accepted after revision: October 14, 2014 Published online: February 12, 2015 Dr. Dulip Jayasinghe, MBCHb, MD Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nottingham City Campus Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1PB (UK) E-Mail dulip.jayasinghe @ nuh.nhs.uk © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel 1661–7800/15/1073–0220$39.50/0