Breastfeeding, NonPharmacological Analgesia for Reducing Procedural Pain in Healthy Full-Term Infants - Abstract
Background: Some routine painful diagnostic procedures are performed even in healthy full-term neonates. Neonates feel pain and non-pharmacologic interventions can reduce this unpleasant experience. However, it is not already established which is the optimal measure.
Research aim: To evaluate the efficacy of non-pharmacologic interventions in relieving pain response during heel prick in healthy full-term neonates.
Methods: The neonates (N=61), at 72 hours of life during the metabolic screening test, were assigned into three groups: Breastfeeding with Skin-to-Skin Contact Group, Oral Glucose Group and Maternal Holding with Swaddling Group. Physiological parameters variations (heart rate and peripheral oxygen saturation) were evaluated using pulse oximeter at three times (T0: 10 minutes before; T1: during and T2: 10 minutes after heel prick). Neonatal Infant Pain Scale was assessed at T1.
Results: All groups showed a significant heart rate increase at T1 respect to T0 (Breastfeeding with Skin-to-Skin Contact Group p=0.001; Oral Glucose Group p<0.0001; Maternal Holding with Swaddling Group p<0.0001) and a tendency towards a higher heart rate at T2 compared to T0. At T1 respect to T0, oxygen saturation decreased only in Maternal Holding with Swaddling Group (p=0.0001), whereas in the first and in the second Group it remained stable. Median Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score was significantly lower in Breastfeeding with Skin-to-Skin Contact Group compared with other groups (value=1, 4 and 4.5, respectively). No neonate of Breastfeeding with Skin to-Skin Contact Group showed Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score>5.
Conclusion: Breastfeeding provides superior analgesia than the other non-pharmacologic measures