Effect of Recorded Chants of the “OM” Mantra as an Interventional Music Therapy on Reducing Stress in Newborns Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction Newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are under tremendous stress. The “OM” sound is known to have a calming effect on adults. The effect of administering chants of “OM” to newborns is unknown. Objectives Primary Objective To evaluate the effect of the “OM” sound on vital parameters in newborns admitted to the NICU. Secondary Objectives To observe the duration of the effect of the “OM” sound on vital parameters after the music therapy and to observe its effect at various gestational ages. Methods Prospective observational study was carried out over 4 months. 57 newborns enrolled were administered music therapy by playing recorded chants of “OM” mantra (MTOM). Vitals were recorded before, during, and after MTOM. Results The heart rate (HR) before and with MTOM was 142 ± 7 and 130 ± 11 bpm ( p = .001). The decrease in HR persisted even after 1 h of stoppage of MTOM ( p = .001). A significant decrease in HR was observed in all gestations ( p = .001). There was no significant difference in respiratory rate (RR) and SpO2 before and with MTOM. Conclusion MTOM significantly reduces HR in newborns of all gestational ages, and its effect persists for at least 1 h after stopping MTOM.