Common birth complications that cause oxygen deprivation include the baby twisting the umbilical cord around its next, which happens in two births out of every thousand. The results of this devastating complication can be as severe as long lasting neurological problems, and cerebral palsy.

Traditionally, babies are placed into an incubator on a ventilator to facilitate breathing and to keep the child warm. But a newly published clinical trial shows, that lowering body temperatures may actually increase the long term outcomes of children facing oxygen deprivation.

The study included 325 newborn infants and showed that those who were cooled instead of warmed showed a 57% better chance of avoiding brain damage.

The principal of the study is based around the fact that lower temperatures lower the metabolism of the body. Lower temperatures create a longer window in which brain neurons can be deprived of oxygen, before they suffer irreparable damage.

Additionally, reducing the amount of oxygen metabolism that takes place in the body means that the oxygen is distributed to cells in a more efficient manner.

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