Evaluating the Effect of Expressed Breast Milk and 10% Dextrose in Procedural Pain Relief in Neonates

In neonates painful procedures are performed with minimum to no regard for pain relief. Even if neonates are unable to communicate pain, it doesn't negate their ability to experience it. This study observed the effect of expressed breast milk (EBM) and 10% dextrose (10%D) during venipuncture in neonates.

A hospital based cross sectional comparative study was conducted from November 2021 to October 2022. Purposive sampling of 110 neonates who received expressed breast milk and 10% dextrose were assessed via Premature Infant Pain Profile - Revised (PIPP-R) pain assessment tool along with heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2) and duration of cry. Data was collected and analyzed via independent t test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.

The mean ± standard deviation of heart rate and oxygen saturation in expressed breast milk group was 168.57 ± 8.9 per minutes (min) and 95.31 ± 1.42% and in 10% dextrose group was 174.27 ± 9.02 per min and 93.80 ± 1.15% respectively. Mean duration of cry in expressed breast milk group was 51.89 ± 16.66 seconds (sec) and 10% dextrose group was 73.55 ± 24.05 sec with a significant difference (p=0.001). The premature infant pain profile revised score was recorded at 30 sec, 1 min and 3 min and 5 min and a significant difference was noted at 30 sec (p=0.000) and 1 min (p=0.047) after venipuncture.

Expressed breast milk have better analgesic effect than 10% dextrose.