Effects of recorded maternal voice on anthropometric parameters and heart rate in premature infants: A pilot randomised controlled trial

Purpose: To explore the benefits of a recorded maternal voice intervention on weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.Methods: A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted in this study. Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (N = 109) were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Both groups received routine nursing care, while preterm infants in the intervention group received a recorded maternal voice program of 20 min, twice daily for 21 days. Preterm infants' daily weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate were collected during the 21-day intervention. Participants' heart rate in the intervention group was also recorded once a day pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program.Results: Preterm infants in the intervention group showed a significant increase in weight (-75.94, 95% CI -108.04, -43.85, P < 0.001), recumbent length (-0.54, 95% CI -0.76, -0.32, P < 0.001), and head circumference (-0.37, 95%CI -0.56, -0.18, P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Preterm infants in the intervention group also showed significant changes in heart rate pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program. However, no significant differences were found in the heart rate scores between the two groups.Discussion: The changes in heart rate pre-during-after the intervention may help explain participants' more significant increase in weight, recumbent length, and head circumference.Practice implications: The recorded maternal voice intervention could be incorporated into clinical practice to promote growth and development in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.