Incubator disadvantages for oxygen delivery: what is a disadvantage?

• A. Loss of O2 with opening and closing during care
• B. Inability to control oxygen concentration
• C. Excessive CO2 elimination
• D. No risk of O2 loss

Answer: (A)

Opening the incubator during care disrupts the closed, temperature- and humidity-controlled environment and lets the oxygen inside escape into the room. Because the incubator is delivering a precise oxygen mix, any escape or mixing with room air causes the delivered FiO2 to drop and fluctuate, making it hard to maintain stable oxygenation for the newborn. Modern incubators do provide means to set and monitor oxygen concentration, so the idea that oxygen concentration can’t be controlled isn’t accurate. Excessive CO2 elimination isn’t the typical issue here, and there is a real risk of O2 loss when the incubator is opened, which is why this is cited as a disadvantage.