High Ambient Temperatures as a Cause of Neonatal Fever? Investigating the Association Between Environmental Temperature and Newborn Body Temperature

Fever in an infant, especially in the neonatal period, is a highly concerning finding that could indicate a life-threatening illness. Determining the cause of a fever is crucial to giving appropriate and effective treatment, whether that be antibiotics, antivirals, rehydration therapy, monitoring etc. In adequately identified low risk infants, fever is less commonly related to infection. Other causes that have been linked to fever in an infant are: environmental temperatures, dehydration, mode of delivery, adequate breastfeeding, and high birth weight. In rural Gujarat, infants with asymptomatic fever are very common. Additionally, during the hottest months of the year in this region, ambient temperatures can reach as high as 48°C. The goal of our study was to determine the effect, if any, of these very high ambient temperatures on infant body. temperature.