1 / 2023-04-02 00:52:17

Use of plastic bags to manage hypothermia in pre-term infants- Highlights and Challenges: A Narrative Review

prematurity,infants,hypothermia,temperature,plastic bags

Babies born before term (less than 37 weeks of gestation) are termed as ‘pre-term babies’. Around 15 million babies are born pre-term every year worldwide. In addition to the long-term post-birth complications, there are certain immediate dangers associated with prematurity such as breathing problems, increased susceptibility to infections, enterocolitis, low birth weight and heart issues. One of the most common short-term complications is hypothermia, or low body temperature. Prompt use of plastic/polythene bags, skin-to-skin care (SSC), transwarmer mattress, warming hats and transport incubator can significantly reduce the near fatal consequences of hypothermia. This narrative review aims to shed light on the benefits and risks associated with the use of plastic bags in the management of hypothermia in pre-term infants. It also focusses on the quick accomplishment of temperature control following the use of plastic bags to wrap the babies in the hospital. The studies reported in this review were collected from the databases that include PubMed, Sciencedirect, Hindawi, Nature and JAMA Network in the period of 2009-2023. The keywords used in this study were prematurity, infants, hypothermia, temperature and plastic bags. The articles that emphasized only on the use and benefits of plastic bags for babies were included, and the studies that focused on temperature control for babies using other traditional or modern techniques were excluded. Literature review showed that the use of plastic bag wrapping technique is one of the most efficacious mode of management of hypothermia in pre-term infants. This review article aims to educate the healthcare providers, especially hailing from the rural areas regarding this cost-effective method for managing in-hospital hypothermia among premature babies. This would prove helpful to hospital professionals and midwives from remote areas, who do not have the access to high-performance medical equipment.