The Effect of Non-nutritive Sucking on Transcutaneous Oxygen Saturation in Neonates under the Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Several beneficial effects of non-nutritive sucking in infants, including the physiological stability, relaxation, better transition from tube feeding to oral feeding have been reported. But its effect on oxygen saturation in neonates under the Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAPæ (is not so clear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of non-nutritive sucking on transcutaneous oxygen saturation levels of neonates treated with NCPAP.
This quasi-experimental study was done on 25 preterm neonates, hospitalized with a diagnosis of respiratory distress, required NCPAP, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital and Babol Clinic, North of Iran. Non-nutritive sucking was elicited by a standard pacifier appropriate to their age one hour a day, and the mean oxygen saturation was measured before and after intervention by cardiopulmonary monitoring (Saadat Co., Iran). Data analyzed using SPSS-18.0 software.
In the 25 cases studied, the mean oxygen saturation values ​​before performing non-nutritive sucking was 96.31±2.88%, which was changed to 98.35±1.6% after intervention, and this increase was statistically significant (P = 0.004).Results showed that the gender, birth weight and gestational age of neonates had no effect on mean Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)level.
According to the results, using the non-nutritive sucking in premature neonates under the NCPAP, can improve oxygenation.