Aditya Chhikara1, James I Hagadorn1,2, Shabnam Lainwala3,4. 1. Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's, Hartford, CT, USA. 2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA. 3. Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's, Hartford, CT, USA. slainwala@connecticutchildrens.org. 4. Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA. slainwala@connecticutchildrens.org.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of maternal voice exposure on oral feeding in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, unblinded, 2-center intervention study of infants born 28 0/7-34 6/7 weeks gestation. Infants were exposed twice daily to maternal voice for 20 min before attempting oral feeding. Feedings were divided into groups consisting of Baseline, Intervention, and Follow-up feeds. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05181020). RESULT: 29/37 (78%) mother-infant dyads consented for the study. 25 infants with 2051 feedings were included. Compared to the preceding Baseline, Intervention feeds were associated with an adjusted 7.1 percentage-point increase in oral intake (p = 0.036) and in post-hoc analysis a 71% increased likelihood of having the highest feeding readiness score (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Exposure to maternal voice prior to enteral feeding is feasible and was associated with significantly improved oral feeding proportions in preterm infants. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05181020).
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of maternal voice exposure on oral feeding in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, unblinded, 2-center intervention study of infants born 28 0/7-34 6/7 weeks gestation. Infants were exposed twice daily to maternal voice for 20 min before attempting oral feeding. Feedings were divided into groups consisting of Baseline, Intervention, and Follow-up feeds. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05181020). RESULT: 29/37 (78%) mother-infant dyads consented for the study. 25 infants with 2051 feedings were included. Compared to the preceding Baseline, Intervention feeds were associated with an adjusted 7.1 percentage-point increase in oral intake (p = 0.036) and in post-hoc analysis a 71% increased likelihood of having the highest feeding readiness score (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Exposure to maternal voice prior to enteral feeding is feasible and was associated with significantly improved oral feeding proportions in preterm infants. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05181020).