Comparison of the Effect of Music Therapy and Swaddling on Pain Intensity Caused by Blood Sampling in Premature Infants Admitted to the Neonatal Inten-sive Care Unit: A Randomized Trial

Pain causes mental-psychological injuries in babies by affecting neuronal development. This study was conducted to evaluate effect of music therapy and Swaddling on physiological indicators and pain intensity caused by blood sampling in preterm neonates.

Method and Materials:

 This randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 51 preterm neonates admitted to NICU of Persian Gulf Hospital in Bushehr. The newborns were divided into music, swaddling and control groups by random block allocation method. For neonates in music therapy group, music was played from 5 minutes before to two minutes after blood sampling, while neonates in swaddling group were swaddled with a thin sheet from 10 minutes before blood sampling to two minutes after. In all groups, HR and o2sat were measured 30 seconds before, during, 30, 60, 90, 120 seconds after blood sampling. Also, from 30 second before blood sampling to 2 minutes after, neonates' faces were filmed and pain assessment checklist was completed each 30 seconds. Data analyzed using Kruskall Wallis H and ordinal regression tests.

There was a significant difference between pain score in intervention groups, so that pain score in Swaddling group was lower than music group at 90 and 120 seconds. In intervention groups, HR changes were lower than control group. No significant difference was observed between three groups regarding o2 saturation.

Results showed that swaddling and music therapy can reduce pain caused by blood sampling and keep vital signs more stable, but swaddling has a greater effect on reducing pain in newborns.