Combination of Mother Therapeutic Touch (MTT) and Maternal Voice Stimulus (MVS) therapies stabilize sleep and physiological function in preterm infants receiving minor invasive procedures

This study examines the effectiveness of Mother Therapeutic Touch (MTT) and Maternal Voice Stimulus (MVS) therapies for improving the sleep states and physiological function of preterm infants. Eighty-four infants who received minor invasive procedures were randomly allocated into four groups: (A) MTT, (B) MVS, (C) combined MTT + MVS, and (D) routine care. Concurrently, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and oxygen saturation were measured using the multiple regression model of the generalized estimating equation (GEE) method. The MTT group showed the most stable sleep states, although this finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.202), followed by the combined intervention group (p = 0.018). The combined intervention group had the most stable states for HR (p = 0.085), RR (p = 0.509), and oxygen saturation (p = 0.700). The combination of MTT + MVS maintained sleep and stability of physiological functions in preterm infants who received invasive procedures. Nurses should implement a combination of MTT + MVS whenever possible to improve sleep quality and stability of physiological functions in preterm infants.