Selected environmental factors in mothers of newborns subjected to the therapeutic hypothermia - a case control study.

Objectives: Hypothermia is an established method of treating severe forms of perinatal hypoxia in newborns. Some of them develop neonatal encephalopathy, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prophylaxis of this pathology is important as well as determining environmental factors in mothers of newborns affected by this pathology. The aim of the study was to assess of selected environmental factors in mothers of newborns qualified for hypothermia.

Material and methods: The material consisted of 102 subjects, including 51 mothers of newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy referred for hypothermia treatment (group I) and 51 mothers of newborns without signs of hypoxia (group II). The case-control study was carried out in the third level reference centre. It is 1 of 20 centers of therapeutic hypothermia for newborn in Poland. Data was collected based on a data collection sheet. Study groups were compared in terms of demographic and environmental data. The odds ratio (OR) was determined and the logistic regression analysis of univariate and multivariate regression was used to determine the probability of the need for hypothermia in the study group.

Results: The groups did not differ in terms of age, BMI and place of living. The need to use hypothermia increased in pregnant women living together with their parents (OR = 6.8, 95% CI: 2.4-19.6) also in case of exposure to factors at the workplace, i.e., noise (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.1-15.5).

Conclusions: Based on the results of our case-control study we postulate to pay attention during preconception care to proper preparation for pregnancy especially in younger women exposed to nuisance in the work environment and at home. In this area postulated activities should include education programs, in close cooperation occupational medicine practitioners and obstetricians even before the conception as a part of pre-conception counseling. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):59-68.