Infant Incubator Market Overview
The global infant incubator market size is projected to achieve a lucrative growth based on the advent of technological innovations. The market was led by NICU incubator in 2017, on the basis of type of product, mainly due to the rise in the number of installations of these systems. Infant incubators are used for various conditions such as neonatal hypothermia, lower birth weight, genetic defects and various infant problems.
On the basis of end user, the infant incubator market is categorized as pediatric hospitals, birthing centers, neonatal intensive care units and others; that primarily includes post-natal care wards and special care nursery. North America was the largest contributor to the global market in 2017, mainly due to growing number of premature term babies and well-developed health care infrastructure in the region. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth in demand in the infant incubator market during the forecast period (2018-2023), with China being the most lucrative market in the region, due to the increasing demand for infant incubators in the country.
Infant Incubator Market Dynamics
Growth Drivers
Prominent factors boosting the growth of the infant incubator industry include the continuous advancements in neonatal care technologies, sudden increase in birth rate of premature infants with lower birth weights and other defects, rise in the installations of NICU units and growth in awareness among individuals regarding neonatal care units. In November 2017, Warmilu LLC developed a portable, user-friendly incubator blanket, IncuBlanket. The IncuBlanket technology is a close substitute of electric incubators and complementary to the Kangaroo mother care technique, which utilizes the parent’s temperature to warm the pre-term infant.
The sudden increase in birth rate of premature infants also supports the growth of infant incubator market. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preterm birth rates decreased from 2007 to 2014, and CDC research shows that this decline is mainly characterized by the decline in the number of births to teens and young mothers. However, the preterm birth rate of infants rose for the second time in 2016 with racial and ethnic differences in preterm birth rates remaining the same. For instance, in 2016, the rate of preterm birth among African-American women (14% of preterm birth) was roughly double the rate of preterm birth among white women (9% of preterm birth). Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that every year, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation), and this number is rising continuously.
Infant Incubator Market Competitive Landscape
The major players in the infant incubator market include General Electric Company, ATOM Medical Corporation, Natus Medical Incorporation, COBAMS srl, Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Bistos Co. Ltd., Fanem Ltd, Inspiration Healthcare Group plc, Phoenix Medical Systems (P) Ltd., and NOVOS Medical Systems.
The market players have been receiving approvals for their products and are also becoming distributors for products developed by other firms. For instance, in August 2017, Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA received United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval for Babyleo TN500, a new IncuWarmer. Babyleo delivers a unique combination of three different heat sources, ensuring optimal thermoregulation for neonates during open and closed care and transition. The IncuWarmer also features a family centric design and easy, efficient workflow for care teams, creating beneficial developmental and neuroprotective conditions for neonates in the NICU.
In October 2017, Aspect Imaging Ltd.’s became the exclusive selling agent for the Embrace Neonatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system in the U.S. The Embrace Neonatal MRI System is designed specifically for imaging of the neonatal head and has a temperature-controlled incubator placed directly into the MRI system, minimizing movement of the baby. If urgent access to the baby is necessary during the imaging process, the baby can typically be removed from the system in less than 30 seconds.
Infant Incubator Market Segmentation
By Product
- Transport infant incubator
- NICU incubator
By Application
- Neonatal hypothermia
- Lower birth weight
- Genetic defects
- Others (neonatal jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis)
By End User
- Pediatric hospitals
- Birthing centers
- NICU
- Others (Post-natal care wards, special care nursery)
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Germany
- U.K.
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Rest of Europe
- Asia-Pacific (APAC)
- Japan
- China
- India
- Rest of APAC
- Latin America (LATAM)
- Middle East & Africa (MEA)
