Author/Authors :
Hosseini Mohammad Bagher نويسنده Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran , Mirghafourvand Mojgan نويسنده Department of Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz , Hasanpour Shirin نويسنده Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran , Ouladsahebmadarek Elaheh نويسنده Associate Professor of Ob & Gyn, Womens Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran , Asghari Jafarabadi Mohamad نويسنده Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran , Heidarabadi Seifollah نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Tabriz University of Medical
Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract :
Background Technological advances in neonatal care have increased
the survival rate of preterm infants, but they have not been able to
reduce the risk of the multiple complications developing in them.
Objectives To determine the short-term effects of developmental care on
preterm infants. Methods The present quasi-experimental study was
conducted on 105 preterm infants (three groups of 35) born in Al-Zahra
hospital of Tabriz, Iran, from September 2013 to November 2015. The
sampling method was convenience, based on study’s eligibility criteria.
The control group received no developmental care. Intervention group 1
received developmental care at the neonatal intensive care unit and the
neonatal ward, and intervention group 2 received developmental care from
birth in the delivery and operating rooms and continued to receive it at
the NICU and the neonatal ward. Short-term neonatal outcomes were
analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The
overall duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in
intervention group 2 compared to the control group (mean difference: -
13.6; confidence interval: -24.8 to -2.4; P = 0.013) and intervention
group 1 (-12.5; -23.7 to-1.3; P = 0.024), and the duration of NICU stay
was also shorter in intervention group 2 compared to the control group
(-12.4; -22.2 to -2.5; P = 0.009). The incidence of sepsis was
significantly lower in intervention groups 1 and 2 compared to the
control group, and the incidence of prematurity anemia and the need for
blood transfusion were also significantly lower in intervention group 2
compared to intervention group 1 and the control group (P <
0.05). No significant differences were observed between the groups in
terms of neonatal growth parameters at full term corrected age.
Conclusions The results obtained showed that developmental care for
preterm infants, especially when initiated as early as in the delivery
and operating room, can improve certain short-term neonatal outcomes.
