BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Some ill or premature neonates require special care nursery and maintenance of environmental conditions through incubator. Incubator electric system exposes the premature infants to electromagnetic radiation. Given the fact that magnetic radiation is one of the causative agents of leukemia in children, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the intensity of the magnetic field generated by incubators.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we measured the intensity of magnetic field produced by 17 incubators utilized in our neonatal intensive care units (NICU), using a teslameter. In each of the incubators, five points were determined to measure the intensity of the magnetic field. Measurements were performed twice (during two weeks between 10 and 12 am), in both horizontal and vertical directions.

FINDINGS: The mean intensity of the magnetic field measured at all points inside the incubators was 0.2±0.03 µT. The intensity of magnetic field at a point inside the incubators (0.27±0.03 µT), measured in both horizontal and vertical directions, was significantly different from a point outside the incubators (p<0.04).

CONCLUSION: At some points inside the incubators, the intensity of magnetic field increases by switching the heater on. Hence, minimizing the length of neonatal incubation period is recommended.