PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to compare the result of one-way ANOVA with that of cross-correlation time series analysis in order to evaluate physiologic responses of premature infants to human voices. METHODS: Four premature infants born prior to 32 weeks gestational age were included in the study. The Gould 4000TA Recording System recorded the preterm infant's heart and respiratory rate while they were listening to a pre-recorded voice recording. Each infant listened to both male and female voices (1 min each) at each testing session. RESULTS: The results of both one-way ANOVA and cross-correlation time series analysis using heart and respiratory rate data were not consistent in some of premature infants. A cross-correlation time series analysis revealed that the responses of premature infant to vocal stimulation occurred at a varying number of seconds after the stimulus was presented and lasted for over 20-30 sec.
CONCLUSION
The results indicate that a time series analysis can provide more detailed information on the rapidly changing physiologic status of premature infant to the auditory stimulus. In addition, the results provide an insight into an auditory responsitivity of premature infants to a naturally occurring sound, the human voice, in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Citations

• The Effects of Maternal Heart Sound on the Weight, Physiologic Responses and Behavioral States of Premature Infants
  Mi-Kyung Yeum, Young-Mee Ahn, Hwa-Sook Seo, Yong-Hoon Jun
  Journal of Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing.2010; 16(3): 211.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify whether hearing a recording of mother's voice affected physiological reactions, behavioral state related to sleep and weight of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
METHODS
This was a nonequivalent control group pre-post test quasi-experimental design. The participants were 11 VLBW infants in the experimental group and 11 in the control group. In the experimental group, a recording of mother's voice was played to her infant by voice recorder four times each day for five minutes over 10 consecutive days in the incubator.
RESULTS
For physiological response (heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation), there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups. Behavioral state during sleep was more very quiet and quiet in the experimental group. In the daily weight change, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups.
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that, for VLBW infants, the intervention of hearing a recording of mother's voice had some significance as a nursing intervention having a positive impact. Such interventions can help pediatric nurses to stabilize the physiological response and maintenance more very quiet sleep state and improve VLBW infants' growth.

Citations

• Exploration of Family-Centered Care in NICUs: A Grounded Theory Methodology
  Young Ah Park, YeoJin Im
  Qualitative Health Research.2025; 35(10-11): 1231.     CrossRef
• The Effect of Maternal Voice on Venipuncture Induced Pain in Neonates: A Randomized Study
  Yanjun Chen, Yang Li, Jing Sun, Dongren Han, Shuju Feng, Xin Zhang
  Pain Management Nursing.2021; 22(5): 668.     CrossRef
• Differences in perceived parental stress between parents with very low birth weight infants and nurses in neonatal intensive care units, South Korea
  Seol-Hee Moon, Ho-Ran Park, Dong Yeon Kim
  Child Health Nursing Research.2021; 27(3): 297.     CrossRef
• Effects of tactile stimulation by fathers on physiological responses and paternal attachment in infants in the NICU
  Min A Kim, Shin-Jeong Kim, Haeryun Cho
  Journal of Child Health Care.2017; 21(1): 36.     CrossRef