Effects of Hearing Recorded Mother's Voice on Physiological Reactions and Behavioral State of Sleep, Weight of Very Low Birth Weight Infants

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify whether hearing a recording of mother's voice affected physiological reactions, behavioral state related to sleep and weight of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: This was a nonequivalent control group pre-post test quasi-experimental design. The participants were 11 VLBW infants in the experimental group and 11 in the control group. In the experimental group, a recording of mother's voice was played to her infant by voice recorder four times each day for five minutes over 10 consecutive days in the incubator. RESULTS: For physiological response (heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation), there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups. Behavioral state during sleep was more very quiet and quiet in the experimental group. In the daily weight change, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that, for VLBW infants, the intervention of hearing a recording of mother's voice had some significance as a nursing intervention having a positive impact. Such interventions can help pediatric nurses to stabilize the physiological response and maintenance more very quiet sleep state and improve VLBW infants' growth.