Embrace Infant Warmer Jeffrey McCarthy BME 281 University of Rhode Island

20,000,000 low birth weight and premature babies are born each year 4,000,000 babies die within their first month of life 450 babies will die during this one hour class

“And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger” - Luke 2:7

Hypothermia World Health Organization definition: – Normothermia 36.5°C – 37.5°C = 97.7°F – 99.5°F – Hypothermia < 36.5° C = 97.7°F Common Causes in preterm and low-birth weight (LBW) babies – Not drying a baby – Not covering a baby – Placing babies in cold environments

Thermoregulation Thermoreceptors on the skin connect to the hypothalamus Hypothalamus releases Norepinephrine (NE) Release of NE leads to: – Vasoconstriction – Nonshivering thermogenesis Lipolysis of adipose tissue Complications include impaired glucose regulation, infection, organ failure, abnormal coagulation

Preoptic region of Anterior Hypothalamus: Dominant area of autonomic thermoregulatory control Posterior Hypothalamus: Origin of central descending shivering pathway Locus Subcoeruleus: Proshivering center Nucle Raphe Magnus: Anti Shivering Center DeWitte J, et al. Anesthesiology 2002;96(2):

Problem Solved

Challenges in Underdeveloped Countries Education Culturally values Money Electricity Technical ability Infrastructure

Embrace Infant Warmer Engineers

References: 1.)Lunze K, Hamer DH. Thermal protection of the newborn in resource- limited environments. J Perinatol. 2012;32: )Embrace. Embrace Infant Warmer. Accessed September 10, )Shenoi A. Low-cost Warming Devices: Critical and Essential Component for Neonates. Perinatol 2012:13 (3); ) Accessed September 10, 2013