Randomised study regarding the site of temperature probe placement in very preterm infants at birth

INTERVENTION: The intervention being studied is the best position on the skin for the temperature probe to be placed at the time of birth for preterm infants 23‐31+6 weeks gestation. This study examines the placement of a skin temperature probe at the time of birth to determine the best position for monitoring and maintaining the infant's temperature before the baby is admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The skin temperature probe is a thin wire device that is placed on the skin of the baby and covered with a 2‐3cm reflective sticker. The temperature probe attaches to the resuscitation bed and controls the heater output of the resuscitation bed based on the infant's temperature to achieve a desired temperature of 37.0'C. The temperature probe is applied to the infant's skin by a trained neonatal nurse, who is present at the time of the infant's birth, when the infant is placed on the resuscitation bed (within the first two minutes of the infant's life) and remains on the infant until admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care unit, which occurs approximately 20‐30 minutes after birth. The intervention group will have the temperature probe placed on the left upper back at the time of birth. The temperatures are compared with the admission temperature taken by a digital thermometer, placed in the armpit, on admission to the NICU to determine if one site is better than the other. CONDITION: Premature Birth; ; Premature Birth Reproductive Health and Childbirth ‐ Complications of newborn PRIMARY OUTCOME: The proportion of premature infants (23+0‐31+6 weeks' gestation) who have their admission temperature within the target range (36.8‐37.3'C) at the time of admission to the NICU. This temperature is measured with a thermometer placed in the armpit of the baby within one minute of arriving to the NICU, and before being transferred from the resuscitation bed to an incubator.[Approximately 20‐30 minutes from the time of birth, and recorded within one minute of arrival to the NICU.] SECONDARY OUTCOME: Complications associated with low body temperature at birth, including: ; ‐Death ; ‐Major intra‐ventricular haemorrhage (grade 3 or 4) ; ‐Early or Late onset culture proven sepsis ; ‐Necrotising Enterocolitis ; ‐Cystic peri‐ventricular leucomalacia ; ‐Retinopathy of prematurity which requires surgery ; ‐Neonatal chronic lung disease ; ; This data will be collected from the infants' medical records.[At the time of discharge of the infant. ] INCLUSION CRITERIA: Gestational Age <32 weeks Born at Westmead Hospital