What is the normal body temperature range to prevent cold stress in newborns?

The normal body temperature range to prevent cold stress in newborns is 36.5 to 37.5°C. This temperature range is critical for ensuring the proper thermoregulation of newborns, who are particularly susceptible to temperature fluctuations due to their high surface area-to-volume ratio and limited ability to generate heat through shivering.

Maintaining a body temperature above 36.5°C helps to support metabolic processes, minimize the risk of hypothermia, and promote overall health and development. Needing to avoid hypothermia, health providers monitor newborns closely to ensure that they remain within this optimal thermoregulatory range.

In contrast, the other ranges provided are either too low or not sufficiently upper-bound to consider for a stable and healthy newborn temperature. For example, the range of 35.0 to 36.0°C falls below the generally accepted norm and indicates hypothermia, while 37.0 to 38.0°C is slightly elevated for newborns and might indicate a febrile state, which also requires monitoring. Therefore, the range of 36.5 to 37.5°C is optimal for preventing cold stress while ensuring the infant's comfort and health.