A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of 24-h Webcam Access in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Technology
• Parental Mental Health in Neonatal Care
• Telemedicine in Healthcare

Background:

• Limited evidence exists for 24-hour live-streaming webcams in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).
• There is a growing need to evaluate the impact of such technologies on parental well-being and healthcare workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of 24-hour webcam access on parental anxiety, bonding, and postpartum depression in a NICU.
• To examine the impact of webcam access on the workflows of healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in a tertiary NICU in Japan.
• Parents of infants with expected stays over one month were randomized to receive 24-hour webcam access or standard care.
• Outcomes included parental anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI), bonding (Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale - MIBS), and staff perceptions.

Main Results:

• Webcam access significantly reduced parental anxiety scores (STAI) at one month post-birth (p<0.001).
• No significant differences were observed in mother-to-infant bonding scores (MIBS) between groups.
• 92% of nurses supported webcam use, and no adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

• Continuous 24-hour webcam access in the NICU effectively reduced parental anxiety.
• The technology demonstrated good acceptance among staff and families.
• Larger multicenter studies are recommended to validate these findings.