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Abstract

BackgroundThe effects of preterm infants position has been explored in many studies. However, no research investigates the effects between prone and supine position of preterm infants during periods of environmental stress.

Objects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of prone and supine position on the preterm infants’ stress biobehavioral responses during periods of environmental stress in hospital. Five research hypotheses were tested in this research, as follows:

1.      In the prone position, preterm infants show lower heart rates and respiratory rates during the periods of environmental stress. 2. In the prone position, preterm infants show higher percentages of oxygen saturation during the periods of environmental stress. 3. In the prone position, preterm infants show few stress behavioral cues during the periods of environmental stress. 4. Preterm infants show more self-regulatory behaviors in the prone position than in the supine position during the periods of environmental stress. 5. In the prone position, preterm infants spend their time in the quiet, light sleeping states and drowsy stat during the periods of environmental stress.

MethodResearch employed a prospective, observational research design to examine research variables in 22 preterm infants in a sick baby care unit in a medical center in Taiwan. The infant was set in either supine or prone position for one hour and in reserve order in the next observed hour. Two digital video recorders were used to facilitate the recoding infant’s behaviors. Research variables were measured every two minutes during the two-hour observation periods over two days.

Results

A total of 2410 observations was gathered in this research. In prone positioning, preterm infants showed significantly lower heart rates than in supine positioning (p=0.016), after adjusting the effects of environmental stressors factors; nonetheless, No significantly difference was found on the respiratory rates and oxygen saturation in different sleeping positions. In the prone position, preterm infants showed a significant decrease (p < .05) in 14 stress behaviors and a significant increase (p < .05) in 3 self-regulatory behaviors. Additionally, in the prone position, preterm infants spent more time in the sleep states than in the supine position (86.5% vs 67.3 %). In prone position, preterm infants showed a significant few stress behaviors. Additional, in prone position, preterm infants showed sleep longer than that in the supine position.

ConclusionThese results suggest that prone position might be a sufficient and comfort intervention for preterm infants during the environmental stress.
Key Words: Preterm Infant, Sleeping Positions, Stress Biobehavioral Responses, Environmental Stress