Prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of neonatal hypothermia at admission at a tertiary neonatal unit, Kigali, Rwanda – a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Thermal protection of the neonate immediately after birth is essential. In our tertiary neonatal unit, we identify nearly one-third of neonates are hypothermic at admission and this is associated with higher mortality and increased length of hospital stay. The ten-steps of the WHO "warm chain" may present an analytic roster for maternity and neonatal teams to pinpoint targets for interventional research and quality improvement work in order to achieve better outcomes.