Comparing clinical effects of incubator HUMidity at Two levels in Extreme Preterms trial

Extremely premature babies (born before 27 weeks of pregnancy) lose a lot of water through their fragile skin, which can cause dangerous levels of sodium in the blood. Keeping these babies in a humid environment inside an incubator helps protect their skin and prevents this dehydration. Currently, most Australian hospitals set incubator humidity at 80%, while hospitals in Japan routinely use 95%. Neither level has been tested in a rigorous clinical trial. The HUM-TE study is a randomised trial comparing 80% and 95% incubator humidity in extremely preterm babies, to see whether higher humidity reduces the risk of dangerously high blood sodium, skin breakdown, serious brain bleeds, and infection. The trial also includes a sub-study examining the effect of humidity on skin barrier function. Your baby may be eligible if they were born before 27 weeks of pregnancy, are less than 6 hours old, and were born at a participating hospital. Babies with major congenital abnormalities, known genetic disorders affecting the brain or skin, or a life expectancy of less than 6 hours are not eligible.