Maternal Heartbeat Sounds and Therapeutic Touch on Heart Rate,Comfort and Behavior in Newborns

Maternal Heartbeat Sounds and Therapeutic Touch

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effects of maternal heartbeat sounds and gentle human touch (GHT), a form of therapeutic touch, on heart rate, comfort, and behavioral scores in neonates born between 32 and 40 weeks and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

This parallel, randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a regional hospital. The sample will consist of 120 neonates with gestational ages of 32 to ≤40 weeks and randomly assigned to four groups (maternal heart sound, therapeutic touch, maternal heart sound + therapeutic touch, and control group). The data of the study are the Newborn Information Form, the Anderson Behavioral Status Scoring System, and Newborn Comfort Behavior Scale. Demographic data will be compared between groups (maternal heartbeat sound group (Group 1), light human touch group (Group 2), combined maternal heartbeat sound and light human touch group (Group 3), and control group (Group 4)). Video recordings will be used to compare heart rate, behavioral status, and comfort scale scores obtained before, during, and after the interventions. The time it takes to fall asleep will also be evaluated. A t-test will be applied to evaluate the score differences between groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• • Newborns between >32 and ≤40 weeks gestational age.

  • Admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after birth.
  • Parental consent form obtained.

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Absence of neurological and cardiac problems.

  • No use of corticosteroids.
  • No use of muscle relaxants.
  • Not past the postnatal 10th day.
  • Not receiving non-invasive or invasive respiratory support.