Could cooling Babies' brains after mild birth injury boost IQ?

NCT ID NCT05889507

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Imperial College London Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether cooling the body of newborns who had a mild lack of oxygen at birth can improve their brain development by age 2. About 426 babies will be randomly assigned to either whole-body cooling or normal temperature care. The goal is to see if cooling leads to better thinking and learning skills compared to standard care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: whole-body cooling (hypothermia)
What this could lead to: If it works, cooling could become standard care for mild newborn brain injury, improving long-term thinking and learning skills.
What could go wrong: This is a large trial, but cooling is already used for severe cases; its benefit for mild cases is unproven. There is a small risk of side effects from cooling, and results won't be known for years.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

perinatal asphyxia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

NEONATAL ENCEPHALOPATHY NEWBORN ASPHYXIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Birmingham Heartlands
RECRUITING

Birmingham, United Kingdom
Bradford Royal Infirmary
RECRUITING

Bradford, United Kingdom
Darent Valley Hospital
RECRUITING

Dartford, DA2 8DA, United Kingdom
Derriford Hosptial
RECRUITING

Plymouth, United Kingdom
Homerton University Hospital
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Imperial College Healthcare NHS FT
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
John Radcliffe Hospital
RECRUITING

Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
Leeds centre for Newborn Care (Leeds General Infirmary)
RECRUITING

Leeds, United Kingdom
Leicester Royal Infirmary
RECRUITING

Leicester, United Kingdom
Liverpool Women's Hospital
RECRUITING

Liverpool, United Kingdom
Luton and Dunstable Hospital
RECRUITING

Luton, United Kingdom
Medway Maritime Hospital
RECRUITING

Gillingham, United Kingdom
Neonatal Unit, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"
RECRUITING

Naples, Italy
Newham General Hosptial
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Northwick Park Hospital
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Princess Royal Hospital
RECRUITING

Haywards Heath, RH16 4EX, United Kingdom
Queen's Hospital, Barking
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Queens Medical Centre Nottingham
RECRUITING

Nottingham, United Kingdom
Rosie Maternity Hosptial, Addenbrookes
RECRUITING

Cambridge, United Kingdom
Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
RECRUITING

Wigan, United Kingdom
Royal Bolton Hosptial
RECRUITING

Bolton, United Kingdom
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
RECRUITING

Exeter, United Kingdom
Royal London Hospital
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Royal Sussex County Hospital
RECRUITING

Brighton, BN2 5BE, United Kingdom
Royal Victoria Infirmary
RECRUITING

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health NHS Lothian
RECRUITING

Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Southmead Hosptial
RECRUITING

Bristol, United Kingdom
St Mary's Hospital
RECRUITING

Manchester, United Kingdom
St Michael's Hospital
RECRUITING

Bristol, BS2 8EG, United Kingdom
St Peters Hosptial
RECRUITING

Ashford, United Kingdom
St Thomas Hospital
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Turnbridge Wells Hospital
RECRUITING

Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4QJ, United Kingdom
University Hospital Coventry
RECRUITING

Coventry, United Kingdom
University Hospital of Wales
RECRUITING

Wales, United Kingdom
Whipps Cross Hospital
RECRUITING

London, United Kingdom
Whiston Hospital
RECRUITING

Whiston, United Kingdom
William Harvey Hospital
RECRUITING

Ashford, TN24 0LZ, United Kingdom
Worthing Hospital
RECRUITING

Worthing, United Kingdom
Wythenshawe Hosptial
RECRUITING

Manchester, United Kingdom

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