I was wondering if anyone has come across a good/realistic design for a DIY incubator to be used in a rural low-resource setting to transport premature newborns to a 2nd or 3rd-level neonatal ward. 

Similarly, could anyone share a link for a low-cost DIY incubator to be used in a neonatal ward (not for transport).  Specifically for preterms 33-34 weeks in their first 72 hours of life or for more premature babies (26-32) who are several weeks old and already weaned off respiratory support, and receiving hospital kangaroo care. Basically a design for a safe, heated low-cost DIY incubator design where a stable premature baby can avoid hypothermia while their mother is getting something to eat or getting much-needed rest. Needless to say, it needs to be able to be built  with materials easily found at a good hardware store. I’m open to any ideas. 

 

I am not aware of something, but went to PubMed and found two projects.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5971329/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30408-9/fulltext

I would recommend using skin to skin care to transport them.

 

 

Dear Philip

 

I guess the main problem for preterm babies weighing below 2000 grams is temperature control.

There are many alternatives for temperature control and Kangaroo care: Bambi belt, BEMPU TempWatch, and many others.

Even I designed the chullo-belt for preterm babies as a garment with intelligent technology, which is composed of a hat connected to a belt, including systems and sensors that allow the continuous identification of the position and well-being of premature babies using the kangaroo strategy (However, the chullo-belt still is just a registered idea (file 2362, year 2017), and it is not in production).

Thinking outside the box (incubator), I wonder if there are possibilities for a "preterm sleeping bag" including heat control and something else ...

What do you think about such an idea ?

Kind regards,

 

Carlos A. Delgado

Lima, Peru

 

I believe mom-incubators are made for this setting.

https://www.momincubators.com

But an incubator could become an oven in the wrong hands, kangaroo-care is a safe alternative.

I was told about a project as a student, where worn out incubators where transported to a rural setting in a warmer part of Africa, but the children got overheated and it became a death trap.

Maybe the best people to hear with is MSF? I’m sure they thought this through.

Hi Philip, check out this Spanish project:

https://medicalopenworld.org/ 

Hi Philip,
 I recently read this article about 
locally designed designed made in Cameroon by autor Leocadia Bongben.

http://nigeriahealthwatch.com/made-in-cameroon-the-locally-fabricated-incubator-designed-to-give-pre-term-babies-a-fighting-chance/?amp=1 

In addition,as mentioned by @Gustaf Lernfelt mom-Incubator are designed for such setting. It is feature in an episode @TheIncubatorPodcast 

Check out #091 - - mOm Incubators: James Roberts.

The Incubator Podcast #TechTuesday featurin mOm-Incubator.