GuidelinesOther guideline

Neutral Environmental Temperature For Newborns

Management guidelines for students, interns and registrars on a variety of routine and emergency situations in our neonatal service at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital. Published in 2014.

ONSET (INITIATING) TEMPERATURE : Ordinary incubators (in Celsius) according to age and birth mass.

AGE	BIRTH WEIGHT
AGE	<1200 G	1201 - 1500 G	1501 - 2500 G	>2500 G
1 day	35	34	33,5	33
2 days	34	33.5	33	32
3 days	34	33,5	32.5	31.5
4 days	34	33.5	32	31
5 days	33.5	33.5	32	31
6 days	33.5	33.5	32	31
7 days	33.5	33.5	32	30.5
8 days	33.5	33.5	32	30.5
9 days	33.5	33.5	32	30.5
10 days	33.5	33.5	32	30
11 days	33.5	33.5	32	30
12 days	33.5	33.5	32	30
13 days	33.5	33.5	32	30
14 days	33.5	33.5	32	30
2 - 3 weeks	33	33	32	32
3 - 4 weeks	32,5	32,5	31,5	31
4 - 5 weeks	32	32	31	30
5 - 6 weeks	31.5	31.5	30.5	29

IMPORTANT: The initiating temperature must be adjusted to maintain the infants body temperature within the normal range (36.5°C).