What temperature range should the ambulance be kept at when delivering a newborn?

• A. 68-72 degrees
• B. 90-95 degrees
• C. 100-105 degrees
• D. 72-78 degrees

Answer: (B)

Newborns lose heat quickly and can’t regulate their body temperature well, especially in the moving, cooler environment of an ambulance. The goal is to provide a warm, stable environment to minimize heat loss through convection, radiation, conduction, and evaporation. Keeping the ambient temperature around 90-95°F gives enough warmth to maintain a neutral thermal environment for the infant without risking overheating. If the scene is much cooler, hypothermia can develop and worsen metabolic stress and respiratory effort; if it’s much hotter, the baby can overheat and become tachypneic or dehydrated. So the best practice is to maintain about 90-95°F, aided by warm blankets and, when possible, a radiant warmer to support the infant’s temperature.