Maternal Voice Exposure and Its Effect on Premature Infants' Feeding Milestones: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Premature infants experience alterations in maternal stimulation (including auditory sensory alteration such as talking or singing to the infant in the neonatal intensive care unit) due to admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Because of their physiological and neurobehavioral immaturity, infants are at an increased risk of delays in reaching feeding milestones (a key developmental milestone), which often need to be achieved before discharge. This systematic review evaluated the literature regarding the effect of maternal speech on achievement of feeding milestones in premature infants. A systematic search of CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2010 to 2021. Studies were selected if they examined the effect of maternal voice interventions on premature infants' feeding milestones. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Six studies were identified. This systematic review of the literature on the effects of maternal voice on feeding milestones in premature infants found equivocal results. Given the inconsistent results, this systematic review does not support a change in clinical practice. However, encouragement of maternal visits is highly recommended as the additional benefits of the mother's presence may extend beyond exposure to maternal voice. More research is needed including use of more homogenous samples, application of recommended decibel levels, and utilization of an adequately powered randomized controlled trial to further examine the effects of maternal voice on feeding milestones.