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Effects of Exposure to Maternal Voice on Feeding Transition Outcomes in Preterm Infants
Pei-Yun Yu1, Wang-Chuan Juang, Yi-Chia Su
1Author Affiliations: Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Yu); Department of Business Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Institute of Healthcare Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Yu); Quality Management Center, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Juang); Department of Business Management, College of Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Juang); and Department of Health-Business Administration, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Juang); Department of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Su); Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Su); Department of Nursing, Shu-Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Su).
Background:
Feeding difficulties in preterm infants prolong transitions to full oral feeding and worsen developmental outcomes.
Objective:
This study examined the effects of maternal voice exposure on feeding transition outcomes in this group.
Methods:
This quasi-experimental, nonrandomized study enrolled 62 preterm infants (≤34 weeks gestation) in a Taiwanese tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The intervention group (n = 31) received 15 minutes recorded maternal voice sessions twice daily for 10 days, standardized for visitation restrictions. The control group (n = 31) received standard care. Primary outcomes were feeding transition duration and oral feeding efficiency (mL/min). Secondary outcomes included feeding intolerance and duration of nasogastric tube, independent oral feeding, and hospital stay. Data were analyzed using chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests.
Results:
Exposure to maternal voice recordings shortened the feeding transition period (P < .001), increased oral feeding efficiency (P = .003), reduced feeding intolerance (P = .006), and shortened the duration to independent oral feeding (P < .001). However, no significant differences were observed in nasogastric tube duration, NICU stay, or total hospital days.
Conclusions:
Maternal voice exposure improved feeding-related outcomes in preterm infants.
Implications For Practice:
Maternal voice recordings represent a safe, low-cost, nursing-led developmental care intervention that can be integrated into routine NICU feeding care.
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