Determinants of maternal temperature during labor.

Intrapartum maternal temperatures and neonatal temperature immediately after birth were measured in 50 cases. Maternal temperatures were determined in part by the amount of hyperventilation, perspiration, and physical activity, with those who were calm and less active having the higher temperatures. Thus, with hyperventilating parturients, it was difficult to define "normal" maternal temperatures. The neonatal rectal temperature immediately after birth seemed best correlated with the maternal vaginal temperature. Two examples are presented which suggest that cases of fetal distress associated with tachycardia and decreased placental exchange may be examples of isolated fetal hyperthermia.