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The effect of kangaroo care on pain in premature infants during invasive procedures
Esma Akcan1, Rana Yiğit, Aytuğ Atici
1Bozok University School for Health Sciences, Yozgat, Turkey.
Insights
Kangaroo care (KC) effectively reduced pain in premature infants during and after invasive procedures. This randomized controlled study found significantly lower pain scores in infants receiving KC compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric pain management
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Premature infants experience significant pain during routine procedures.
- Effective pain management strategies are crucial for neonatal outcomes.
- Kangaroo care (KC) is a recognized method for improving infant well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of kangaroo care (KC) in mitigating procedural pain in premature infants.
- To compare pain responses between infants receiving KC and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 50 premature infants (26-36 weeks gestation).
- Infants were divided into KC and control groups.
- Pain was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) during and after invasive procedures.
Main Results:
- Infants in the KC group exhibited significantly lower PIPP scores during and immediately after invasive procedures.
- KC was administered 30 minutes prior to and 10 minutes after procedures.
Conclusions:
- Kangaroo care is an effective intervention for reducing pain and improving physiological responses in premature infants undergoing invasive procedures.
- KC offers a non-pharmacological approach to pain management in neonates.
Abstract:
A total of 50 premature infants (25 in KC group, 25 in control group) were included in this comparative, randomized, controlled study. Gestational and postnatal ages of the infants were between 26-36 weeks and 0-28 days, respectively. Infants with congenital abnormalities or sepsis and those who needed mechanical ventilation or surgical intervention were not included in the study. None of the infants received narcotic analgesics. Behavioral and physiologic responses to pain were recorded and Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) was used to evaluate the severity of pain. Collected data was evaluated using SPSS for Windows 11.5 program. Premature Infant Pain Profile scores were significantly lower at each measurement during or soon after the invasive procedure in infants in the KC group compared to controls. In conclusion, KC starting 30 minutes before and continuing 10 minutes after an invasive procedure was found to be effective in decreasing pain during and after the invasive procedure in premature infants.
