Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia Audit

For the national neonatal TH review, medical records are the primary source of information. Data were collected on site in the 19 maternity units/hospitals and neonatal intensive care units or special care baby units (NICU/SCBU) in the Republic of Ireland. The NCPPN, NPEC and NWIHP collected data on all cases of neonatal therapeutic hypothermia in 2019 by taking an active case ascertainment approach.

Purpose: The purpose of the Audit is to present an overview and national statistics of Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia. TH is now considered the standard treatment for term infants with moderate to severe HIE. It is a therapy during which the infant is cooled within six hours of birth to a targeted core body temperature of between 33°C to 34°C for a duration of 72 hours. Following the 72-hour period, the infant is rewarmed to normal body temperature over a 6-12 hour period. Encompassing data on all case

Coverage: National coverage: involves every infant who underwent TH in Ireland.

Data is collected on an annual basis starting on the 1st of January and finishing on the 31st of December.