Top medic warns over Cork University Maternity Hospital heat

Newborns, like red wine, thrive best at room temperature, but conditions at the country’s newest maternity hospital have been distinctly inhospitable in recent days.

While the labour rooms, theatres, and emergency department all have air- conditioning or temperature control systems at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), not so the wards housing mothers and babies.

Consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist Keelin O’Donoghue said the temperature gauge in the nursery measured 29.8ºC at the weekend and hit 30.8ºC at one of the nurses’ stations.