ABSTRACT
There is evidence that induced hypothermia (cooling) of newborn babies who suffered from a lack of oxygen at birth reduces mortality or disability in survivors. Lack of oxygen before and during birth can lead to the death of brain cells because the damage to the cells continues even after the primary event – that is, asphyxia – stops. One way to stop this damage is to induce hypothermia – cooling the baby or just the baby's head for hours or days. This treatment can reduce the amount of brain cell damage. More research is needed to understand which infants need cooling and the best method of cooling, including duration of treatment and method of cooling.
