How does hypothermia affect a newborn during resuscitation?

Hypothermia significantly impacts newborns during resuscitation by impairing their ability to regulate their body temperature, a critical function for maintaining metabolic processes. When newborns experience hypothermia, their thermoregulation systems become compromised, leading to potential complications such as respiratory distress. This is particularly concerning because a newborn's metabolism is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

Lowered body temperatures can slow down metabolic activity, affecting how oxygen is utilized by the body. In a newborn undergoing resuscitation, maintaining normothermia is crucial for optimizing outcomes, as increased oxygen demands due to respiratory distress or other complications can arise from the effects of hypothermia. Therefore, addressing and preventing hypothermia during resuscitation is essential to support the newborn’s physiological stability and improve the chances of successful resuscitation.