Effects of recorded maternal voice on anthropometric parameters and heart rate in premature infants: A pilot randomised controlled trial

Abstract

PurposeTo explore the benefits of a recorded maternal voice intervention on weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. MethodsA pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted in this study. Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (N = 109) were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Both groups received routine nursing care, while preterm infants in the intervention group received a recorded maternal voice program of 20 min, twice daily for 21 days. Preterm infants' daily weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate were collected during the 21-day intervention. Participants' heart rate in the intervention group was also recorded once a day pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program. ResultsPreterm infants in the intervention group showed a significant increase in weight (−75.94, 95% CI −108.04, −43.85, P < 0.001), recumbent length (−0.54, 95% CI −0.76, −0.32, P < 0.001), and head circumference (−0.37, 95%CI −0.56, −0.18, P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Preterm infants in the intervention group also showed significant changes in heart rate pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program. However, no significant differences were found in the heart rate scores between the two groups. DiscussionThe changes in heart rate pre-during-after the intervention may help explain participants' more significant increase in weight, recumbent length, and head circumference. Practice implicationsThe recorded maternal voice intervention could be incorporated into clinical practice to promote growth and development in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.Study registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Register, https://www.anzctr.org.au/; (registration number: ACTRN12622000019707).