Journal of tropical pediatrics
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A prospective cohort study was carried out at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia, to investigate the prevalence of neonatal hypothermia, type of infant care and incidence of mortality. Two-hundred-and-sixty-one infants, aged 0-7 days, admitted to the pediatric unit during the 'warm' season were recruited to the study. Forty-four per cent of the infants were hypothermic (< 36 degrees C) on admission, and admission hypothermia correlated to admission weight and home delivery in the youngest age group (0-24 hours). ⋯ Mean time to reach a body temperature above 35.9 degrees C did not differ between infants kept in a cot and in an incubator. Total numbers of death was 82 (31 per cent) and the mortality was higher in infants who were hypothermic at admission compared to those who were not. This study demonstrates that a change of existing care routines is needed.