Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain injury that occurs in a newborn infant who is deprived of oxygen before or during birth. The risk of HIE is about 1 to 4 per 1000 live births, and it can cause permanent neurological disability or death. There is no effective therapy for HIE; the newborns are monitored in intensive care and given anticonvulsants to control seizures. There is some evidence that mild cooling of the infant’s entire body to 34.0°C to 33.5°C (systemic hypothermia) with cooling blankets or other devices reduces the risk of permanent disability by minimizing or preventing brain damage. Another option is mild systemic hypothermia combined with selective head cooling in which the infant’s head is fitted with a special cooling cap.