Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 22(02), 1415-1431
Received on 10 April 2024; revised on 17 May 2024; accepted on 20 May 2024
Objective: To systematically review the literature to determine whether non-pharmacological interventions reduce preterm infants' pain during invasive procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted according to the criteria of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement for conducting and reporting systematic reviews. The search was performed in PubMed and Scopus from 2013 to 2023. Only studies in English were included.
Results: In total, forty-four studies were included. Kangaroo Mother Care, massage, Yakson Touch, Gentle Human Touch, music therapy, mother’s voice, white noise, maternal heartbeat sounds, facilitated tucking, sucrose administration, olfactory stimulation, the use of "Calmer," environment modification, expressed breast milk, the mother scented simulated hand, and the combination of these methods proved to be effective in reducing pain in preterm infants undergoing various medical procedures.
Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should consider using non-pharmacological methods for pain relief during minor invasive procedures.
Non-pharmacological methods; Pain; Preterm; Premature; Infants; Neonates; Neonatal intensive care unit
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Christina Nanou, Chrysanthi Lampropoulou, Giannoula Kirkou and Dimitra Metallinou. Non-pharmacological methods to reduce pain in preterm infants: A systematic review. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 22(2), 1415-1431. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.22.2.1556