PURPOSE: In order to identify the usability of inguinal temperature in a neonatal unit, this study was done to compare inguinal temperature of newborns with rectal, axillary, and tympanic temperatures. METHOD: Fifty-one normal newborns admitted to the nursery of a university affiliated hospital participated in the study. Tympanic temperatures were taken with a tympanic thermometer. Inguinal, rectal, and axillary temperatures were taken with glass mercury thermometers, and were recorded every 1 minute until the reading remained constant for 2 times. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULT: The measurement time for inguinal temperatures in newborns was significantly longer than that for rectal temperatures, but was shorter than that for axillary temperatures. The mean temperature for the newborn's inguinal site was lower than for rectal, axillary, and tympanic temperatures (the lower side), but wasn't different from tympanic temperature (the upper side). The inguinal temperature was significantly correlated with rectal, axillary, and tympanic temperature. The inguinal temperature was not different according to general characteristics of the newborn. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that measurement of inguinal temperature is a useful alternative to rectal temperature.