Early exposure to maternal voice: effects on preterm infants development

Area of Science:

• Neonatal development
• Neuroscience
• Developmental pediatrics

Background:

• Preterm infants develop in NICU environments, accelerating sensory system maturation.
• Fetal auditory perception and response to sound are established by 26-28 weeks gestational age.
• Maternal voice is a significant prenatal sensory stimulus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of maternal voice exposure via bone conduction on preterm infants' autonomic and neurobehavioral development.
• Investigate the long-term effects on neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal, explorative, case-control study design.
• Inclusion of 71 preterm infants (birth weight <1500g, appropriate for gestational age).
• Assessment of vital signs, neurobehavioral parameters at term, and neurofunctional outcomes at 3 and 6 months corrected age.

Main Results:

• Treatment group showed lower heart rate and more stable skin color compared to controls.
• Enhanced visual attention and improved quality of general movements at term in the treatment group.
• Higher neurofunctional scores at 3 months corrected age in the treatment group; no significant difference at 6 months.

Conclusions:

• Early maternal voice exposure via bone conduction positively influences preterm infants' autonomic regulation.
• This intervention demonstrates beneficial effects on neurobehavioral development in preterm infants.
• Maternal voice stimulation is a promising strategy for supporting preterm infant development.