Effects of Combined Maternal Voice Stimulation and Gravity Feeding Intervention for Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants in Neonatal Care

CONCLUSION: Maternal voice stimulation combined with gravity feeding shows promising positive effects and high safety for low-birth-weight preterm infants. The combined approach outperformed both gravity feeding alone and traditional nasogastric feeding across various critical parameters. These findings support the potential clinical applicability and merit further consideration for wider implementation as a feeding method in neonatal care settings.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The observed reductions in feeding intolerance, shortened gastric tube indwelling time, and enhanced oral motor function in low-birth-weight preterm infants receiving combined maternal voice stimulation and gravity feeding highlight a promising clinical approach. These improvements signify the potential for earlier oral feeding initiation, shorter hospital stays, and better overall outcomes in the care of these vulnerable infants.LIMITATIONS: This study is limited by its single-center design, potential selection bias, and the absence of blinding. Uncontrolled confounding factors may influence results, and long-term outcomes were not assessed.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals should cautiously consider the observed benefits of combining maternal voice stimulation with gravity feeding, recognizing the study's limitations. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore long-term implications for the care of low-birth-weight preterm infants.PMID:38607210
Source: Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine - Category: Complementary Medicine Authors: Source Type: research