What is an infant incubator?

According to the World Health Organization, more than 15 million premature babies are born worldwide each year. These little lives are particularly fragile in the first period of time. A device is needed to provide these babies with an environment similar to the mother's uterine cavity to promote their growth and development and to prepare them for the outside world. This warm mother-like device is an infant incubator.
Since the users are all weak babies, the infant incubator must be highly safe, stable in performance, and have sensitive and complete alarm functions to achieve the intended purpose. Today, let's get to know the infant incubator and its quality inspection process.


Purpose of infant incubator
Infant incubator, also known as infant incubator, is a professional device that creates a clean air, suitable temperature and humidity for premature babies, low-weight babies, critically ill children, and newborns. It is mainly used for infant hypothermia resuscitation, infusion, rescue, hospitalization observation, and transportation. As a treatment and care device for newborns and premature babies, infant incubators are widely used in obstetrics, neonatology and other departments of hospitals at all levels.

Composition and principle of infant incubator
The general structure of infant incubator: infant cabin, chassis, infusion stand and tray, controller, skin temperature sensor, rack, jaundice treatment device (blue light tube or LED), weighing device. The infant cabin includes a constant temperature cover and a baby bed. The constant temperature cover provides a constant temperature environment for placing the baby. The baby bed can be tilted at both ends according to clinical use requirements. The controller has box temperature or skin temperature control, and the chassis includes a water tank, an air intake filter, a rocker and other parts.
Infant incubators have two types: box temperature control and skin temperature control. In the box temperature control mode, the temperature sensor monitors the temperature in the box in real time, and the temperature controller controls the heater by controlling the working state of the relay to ensure that the temperature in the box is close to the set temperature value. In the skin temperature control mode, a temperature sensor is attached to the patient's skin surface, and the skin temperature of the subject is monitored by temperature sensing. According to the comparison between the detected temperature and the set temperature, the controller controls the heater to heat, so that the temperature measured by the skin temperature sensor is close to the value set by the user.
At present, the box temperature control principle of most infant incubators is achieved through a forced air circulation system. The outside air first enters the filter in the box and is filtered. The air flows through the heater to heat the air passing through. The fan rotates to drive the air circulation. The hot air enters the constant temperature cover from the air inlet of the box, and then circulates to the heater through the return air outlet to heat the air, thus forming a circulating hot air airflow. The hot air circulation airflow flows through the top of the water tank, and the water vapor formed on the water surface is driven into the cover. Due to the drive of the fan, the outside air is continuously heated by the heater and carries water vapor into the constant temperature cover to supplement the hot air and humidity in the cover.

Quality control requirements for infant incubators
Based on the important role of infant incubators in clinical medicine, the quality of infant incubators directly determines whether the infant incubators can truly play their role. Therefore, medical institutions have the responsibility to perform regular preventive maintenance on infant incubators to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Testing standards and basis for infant incubators
Among them, the performance parameter requirements are:
Infant incubators with air temperature control
The temperature deviation does not exceed ±0.8℃. The temperature uniformity shall not exceed ±0.8℃ when the mattress is horizontal, and the temperature uniformity shall not exceed ±1.0℃ when the mattress is tilted.
The temperature fluctuation shall not exceed ±0.5℃.
The difference between the average incubator temperature and the control temperature shall not exceed ±1.5℃.
The temperature overshoot shall be ≤2℃.
For incubators with humidity control function, the relative humidity deviation shall not exceed ±10%.
Under normal use, the noise in the infant cabin (A-weighted sound pressure level) shall be ≤60dB.
When the alarm sounds, the noise in the infant cabin (A-weighted sound pressure level) shall be ≤80dB, and the noise outside the cabin (A-weighted sound pressure level) shall be ≥
65dB.
Incubator with skin temperature control
The minimum display range of the skin temperature sensor shall at least include the range of 33℃～38℃.
The accuracy of the skin temperature sensor shall be within ±0.3℃.
The difference between the temperature measured by the skin temperature sensor and the control temperature shall not exceed ±0.7℃.
For incubators with humidity control function, the relative humidity deviation shall not exceed ±10%.
Under normal use, the noise in the infant cabin (A-weighted sound pressure level) should be ≤60dB.
When the alarm sounds, the noise in the infant cabin (A-weighted sound pressure level) should be ≤80dB, and the noise outside the box (A-weighted sound pressure level) should be ≥65dB.

Main types of infant incubators
According to different usage scenarios and functional configurations, infant incubators can be divided into the following types:
Closed infant incubator (standard type)
It has a completely closed structure and is suitable for long-term treatment and critically ill newborn care. It has strong heat preservation, humidification and anti-infection capabilities and is a standard equipment for NICU.
Open infant incubator (radiant heater)
The top is open, which is convenient for surgical operations and rapid care. It is heated by the top radiant heat source, which is suitable for rescue, but the heat preservation is weak.
Transport infant incubator
It has battery power and portability, and is used for the safe transportation of newborns between hospitals, departments or ambulances.
Multifunctional comprehensive incubator
Integrated with phototherapy function, respiratory support equipment, monitor, weighing system, etc., it is suitable for comprehensive treatment in large NICU.

Global market development trend
In recent years, the infant incubator market has shown the following development trends:
Global premature birth rate rises: According to WHO data, there are about 15 million premature babies in the world each year, and the demand for high-end neonatal care equipment continues to grow.
Increasing medical investment in developing countries: NICU construction in Asian and African countries has been gradually improved, stimulating market demand.
Technology upgrades promote high-end product substitution: functions such as intelligent sensing, networked monitoring, and remote early warning are becoming increasingly popular.
Strong export demand: China-made infant incubators are popular in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America due to their high cost-effectiveness.

Infant incubators are not only a medical device, but also an important bridge connecting life and hope. Its appearance has greatly improved the survival rate and quality of life of newborns, especially premature babies, and is the "standard configuration" of modern obstetrics and gynecology hospitals and NICU departments.

With the continuous growth of global investment in maternal and child health, the infant incubator market will surely usher in a broader development prospect. As a professional medical equipment manufacturer and supplier, YSENMED will continue to provide global customers with baby care products with leading technology and stable performance.