Maternal temperature during labour

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to describe the variation of normal maternal temperature during labour. Design A prospective cohort study. Setting Two hospitals in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Population All women with a live singleton pregnancy and a gestational age of 36 weeks or more admitted to the delivery ward from June 2000 to January 2002. Methods Maternal temperature was measured rectally every 2–3 hours from admission until the beginning of second stage, and 1‐hour postpartum. Normal labour (n = 843) was defined as gestational age ≥37 weeks, spontaneous onset of labour, rupture of membranes <18 hours before birth, normal progress of labour without the need for augmentation or epidural analgesia and spontaneous vaginal delivery of a healthy infant. The remaining group was classified as abnormal (n = 2209). Main outcome measures Rectal measured temperature in degrees Celsius. Results The mean temperature during labour in the complete study population increased from 37.1°C at the beginning of labour to 37.4°C after 22 hours. Temperature in the abnormal labour group was equal to the normal labour group during the first 3 hours of labour (P > 0.05) but increased thereafter. Conclusions At the beginning of labour, temperature was 37.1°C. Temperature increased slowly during labour and was 37.4°C (2SD 1.2) after 22 hours. The upper 2SD limit for normal temperature did not follow a circadian pattern and time of day is not relevant for the classification of normal versus elevated temperature.

Immediate skin‐to‐skin contact is feasible for very preterm infants but thermal control remains a challenge

“…In the present study, the father predominantly provided SSC. Women are known to have an elevated body temperature during and after labour, 26,27 and thus, this may have contributed to some of the low temperatures we found.…”

Novel pregnancy‐triggered episodes of CAPOS syndrome

“…During the intrapartum period, maternal body temperature also rises due to increased physical exertion from uterine contractions and hypothalamic thermoregulatory center stimulation from fetal-placental factors (Schouten et al, 2008). In a study of 147 women during the intrapartum period, 95% had body temperatures between 36.2°C and 37.8°C (Bartholomew, Ashkin, Schiffman, & Larsen, 2002).…”

“…During pregnancy, maternal core and skin temperature may increase by 0.5°C due to increased metabolic demands and basal metabolic rate, thermogenic effects of progesterone, and fetal heat generation (Blackburn, 2014), potentially explaining why Patient 2 had significantly more episodes and more severe neurologic manifestations compared to other patients previously reported in literature. During the intrapartum period, maternal body temperature also rises due to increased physical exertion from uterine contractions and hypothalamic thermoregulatory center stimulation from fetal-placental factors (Schouten et al, 2008). In a study of 147 women during the intrapartum period, 95% had body temperatures between 36.2°C and 37.8°C (Bartholomew, Ashkin, Schiffman, & Larsen, 2002).…”

Examining the infectious aetiology and diagnostic criteria of maternal pyrexia in labour to improve antibiotic stewardship

“…[1] In an effort to avert these infections, guidelines in the US [2], UK [3], and Ireland [4] instruct healthcare providers to consider isolated maternal intrapartum fever of ≥38 °C as a sign of infective chorioamnionitis and an indication for antibiotic therapy. While maternal pyrexia during labour may be an indicator of chorioamnionitis, it is difficult to determine clinically owing to the range of other causes of pyrexia such as epidural use [[5], [6], [7]], direct physiological effects of labour, [8] dehydration [9], elevated ambient temperature [9], and use of misoprostol [10].…”