TempWatchPeer-Reviewed PublicationRandomised Controlled Trial
A Randomized Control Trial of Hypothermia Alert Device in Low Birth Weight Newborns and the Effect on Kangaroo Mother Care and Weight Gain
Year
2019
Location
🇮🇳 Bangalore, India
Sample Size
44 LBW newborns (21 BEMPU, 23 control)
Investigators
Jagadish AS, Asha Benakappa, Naveen Benakappa, Gini Morgan
Institutions
Dept of Neonatology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH), Bangalore · BEMPU Health
Published In
International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics
Background & Methods
A double-blind randomized controlled trial at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH), Bangalore, to evaluate the effect of continuous hypothermia monitoring using the BEMPU TempWatch on kangaroo mother care (KMC) duration and weight gain in low birth weight newborns. 44 infants (< 2.5 kg, gestational age ≥ 30 weeks) were randomized to TempWatch (n=21) or a sham device (n=23) and followed for 4 weeks.
Key Results
| Outcome / Metric | BEMPU Group | Control Group | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| KMC duration — week 1 (hrs/day) | 3.02 | 1.96 | 0.016 |
| Weight gain over 4 weeks (g/day) | 28.3 | 22.9 | 0.057 |
- 1TempWatch significantly increased KMC duration in week 1 — 3.02 hrs/day versus 1.96 hrs/day in the control group (p=0.016).
- 2Weight gain over 4 weeks trended higher in the TempWatch group (28.3 vs 22.9 g/day) but did not reach statistical significance (p=0.057), likely due to the small sample size.
- 3The device's real-time alerts prompted mothers to initiate KMC sooner and maintain it longer, particularly at night.
- 4No adverse events were observed in either group.
Why This Matters
This is one of the first double-blind RCTs to demonstrate that a hypothermia alert device causally increases KMC duration — not just temperature outcomes. The finding that alerts drive behavior change (more KMC) explains the weight gain and mortality benefits observed in subsequent larger studies.
How to Cite
Jagadish AS, Benakappa A, Benakappa N, Morgan G. A randomized control trial of hypothermia alert device in low birth weight newborns and the effect on kangaroo mother care and weight gain. Int J Contemp Pediatr. 2019;7(1):52-56.
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