The Efficacy Of Massage Therapy On Preterm Infants

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016), preterm birth are the birth that happened before 37 ended weeks of pregnancy and is one of the number reason of newborn deaths and the second prominent cause of deaths in children below five. The preterm babies have chances of an amplified risk of illness, disability and death. In the first weeks, the complications of premature birth may include: breathing problems, heart problems, brain problems, temperature control problems, gastrointestinal problems, blood problems, metabolism problems, immune system problems. Long-term complications includes cerebral palsy, impaired cognitive skills, vision problem, hearing problems, dental problems, behavioral and psychological problems, chronic health issues.

Defining premature birth is much more than just a denotative phrase. It is not just a preterm birth, or a baby born early. It is a life-changing event, and something that affects millions of people worldwide. The intense quiet room with heart monitors beeping, as parents see their baby and are devastated. Loved ones can not feed them or kiss them nor, can they not hold them or hug them. They do not get the same experience as others. Little miracles lay inside these cubes where multiple wires are help keeping them alive. A place where prayers happen, and where all hope for the best. Nobody knows the true pain and struggle behind a preterm birth and it needs to be discussed. Prematurity is a serious conflict; therefore, it needs more awareness as many families are facing this tough situation.

In the last 20 years the hopes of survival for neonates have seen significant increase, almost all of the causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity have decreased. There is only one threat unmoved, still standing above the rest- Preterm birth. Prematurity or preterm birth is defined as the birth of any child between 20-37 weeks of gestation. Delivery prior to 20 weeks of gestation is considered a Natural abortion.1 The survival rate of low birth weight infants has significantly increased from 15-80% in the last 20 years. However, the incidence of prematurity has not seen any change, neither decrease nor increase. Currently the average incidence is 10-11%.1

The epidemiologic burden of pre-term births in Canada is significant. Preterm infants have shown substantially higher health expenditures and hospital costs than infants who are born at the recommended gestational age (CIHI, 2006). For neonates born at 29 weeks

Once a premature baby is born, he/she is not fully equipped to take on the world as would a full term baby. With preterm birth, an infant can lose this crucial time for growth and this can greatly impact his/her ability to survive outside of the mother’s womb. In 2012, premature births affected more than 450,000 babies, which are 1 in 9 babies born in the United States (CDC “Preterm”). Some of the infants that survive live to suffer from heart conditions, kidney issues, and neurological damage that can impede on their physical, mental, learning, hearing, and/or visual development

Preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) are the leading causes of neonatal morbidity, mortality, and disabilities (Swamy, Ostbye, & Skjaerven, 2008; Wilson-Costello, Friedman, Minich, Fanaroff, & Hack, 2005). These poor birth outcomes are costly. In fact, in 2001 LBW and PTB hospital expenses in the United States were approximately $5.8 billion (Russell et al., 2007). Furthermore, they comprised 27% of pediatric stays and 47% of all infant hospitalization (Russell et al., 2007). When considering total cost, such as long-term expense of special education service and lost productivity, preterm birth is estimated to be $26.2 billion dollars (Behrman & Butler, 2007). In order to lessen the cost of poor birth outcomes, the U.S. healthcare system should begin to incorporate aspects of preventative care at the level of maternal health.

Numerous people have studied the effects of a mother's touch and its benefits for her infant. A mother’s touch is the most nurturing touch an infant can feel. Infants have learned the style of touch their mother has from inside the womb (Solter,2001, p.18). Most mothers will rub her stomach, poke it, and caress it when the baby is inside of her. Once the infant is born, it can often be soothed by the same style of touch from its mother. On the other hand, if an infant is deprived of their mother's touch, or is subjected to abuse or neglect, its ability to survive and thrive is impaired. This paper examines the effects of a mother's positive touch, as well as the harmful effects of the lack

Preterm babies, also known as premature babies are born before 37 weeks’ gestational age. These babies can vary in term of prematurity, from two to three weeks, to extremely preterm at over ten weeks. Goldberg and Devitto (2002, as cited in Leman, Bremner, Parke & Gauvain, 2012) stated prematurity is associated with low birth weight, putting infants at risk of long term issues such as faulty cognition, hyperactivity and perceptual disorders. Werner and Smith (1982, as cited in Leman et al., 2012) stated recent developments indicate high-quality care and extra stimulation can improve the prognosis of the infant. Parents provide this environment for the child, yet often they feel alienated and worried about caring for their premature infant, meaning stimulation is lacking. (Leman et al., 2012) Therefore, some say parenting interventions are essential for normal infant development. However, research is often conflicting with regards to interventions improving prognosis. Within the main body of the essay we will be discussing some parenting intervention schemes such as massage therapy and the use of family nurture interventions, which have overall supported the view that parenting interventions are effective. Whilst also touching upon research that indicates less positive results, including infant behavioural assessments and intervention programs.

Prenatal massages are completely different from the regular massages in the sense that a woman will have to be positioned in the right manner for the massage. The Orange County Prenatal Massage ensures that the mother and child are both safe during a massage. Besides this, in the case of pregnant women, certain methods like deep tissue massage are absolutely not allowed and have to be avoided. As per www.huffingtonpost.co.uk the main reason behind a pregnancy massage is to eliminate the stress on the mother’s growing body.

This study is a clinical trial that aims to find out the effect of massage on behavioral state of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. The participants were 45 neonates who hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit of Afzalipour hospital in Kerman. Parental consent was obtained for research participation. The inclusion criteria included all infants born with respiratory distress syndrome, less than 36 weeks gestational age and without of any the following conditions: contraindication of touch, skin problems, hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, respirators, chest tube, addicted mother, congenital and central nervous system disease. Infants entered the massage protocol during the second day after starting enteral feeding, because the

The study was broken into three birth year periods those being 2000-2003, 2004-2007, and 2008-2011. This was done to provide a sufficiently large sample to control for analysis and provide mortality estimates with greater precision (Patel et al., 2015, p. 333). From January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2011, a total of 22,248 extremely premature infants were born alive (Patel et al., 2015, p. 333). Among those infants, 6,075 died during their birth hospitalization (Patel et al., 2015, p. 333). Extremely premature infants who died were 2 weeks younger ( at 24.3 weeks) in gestational age than surviving infants (at 26.3 weeks) (Patel et al., 2015, p. 333). In addition, the study found that the administration of prenatal glucocorticoids was lower among mothers whose infants died than among those whose infants survived (Patel et al., 2015, p. 333). The researchers found an increase in the percentage of women who received prenatal care, prenatal glucocorticoids, and who delivered by cesarean section, as well as a decrease in the percentage of women who received prenatal antibiotic treatment (Patel et al., 2015, p.

Prematurity remains the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, accounting for 60 to 80% of deaths in live born infants without congenital malformations. Up to 10% of surviving newborns at very low birth weight (<25mm at 24 weeks was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth . (Goldenberg et al, 1996).

Preterm birth is the most common cause of infant death at birth. This article shares with us that nearly one million infants die from complications of preterm birth each year. Many factors contribute to complications of premature birth such as infection of the placenta, problems with the amniotic fluid, and generic and social factors. As the premature infants grow, many experience difficulties in development, behavior, disability, and other medical conditions. A better understanding of preterm birth and the consequences that arise from preterm birth could extend better health outcomes for premature infants. With educating mothers of possible risk factors of preterm birth and intervening, we could decrease the risk of preterm birth. Millions

Prenatal care is widely accepted as a beneficial way to identify and monitor maternal and fetal health during the course of pregnancy in most societies. By initiating prenatal care before the second trimester and continuing care until delivery, the early detection and management of abnormalities as well as nutritional and educational interventions is permitted to occur (Cox, Zhang, & Zotti, 2011). Studies have shown that women who have very little prenatal care have an increased risk of adverse effects for both the fetus and themselves. Dr. Milton Kotelchuck developed the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) index to determine the correlation between inadequate care and fetal neonatal mortality (Partridge, Balayla, Holocroft, & Abenhaim, 2012). The APNCU index is calculated by imputing a number of variables about the prenatal care and gestation. Although the benefits of prenatal care are irrefutable, there are still a number of women that do not seek access to medical care early enough, or as often as recommended during pregnancy. This may be influenced by many factors including: socioeconomic status, education, demographics, and unfortunately race.

Pregnancy is typically a joyful time for any couple; they are bringing a baby into this constantly changing world. However, during pregnancy, a mother can have several questions, thoughts, and concerns racing through her mind regarding the baby she is carrying. All of this can be simply summed up with a single, overarching question: will the baby be healthy? In today’s technologically advanced world, doctors have the ability of running numerous tests to check the development of the fetus throughout the nine months of the pregnancy. Before a baby is born, the mother can be informed of any worries she may have. Including finding out if her child is growing at a suitable rate, if her child will have down syndrome or any other abnormalities that might make the child’s life unique where special accommodations may need to be made. As her pregnancy continues, she can check for anything that may run in her family. For example, if anyone in the couple’s immediate family, even if it is just one person, has Huntington disease, cystic fibrosis, or hemophilia, the doctor can run specific tests for those potential issues. Knowing whether a child will have a complication or is perfectly healthy can help the parents prepare for what is about to happen in a very short time frame. Once the baby is born, the mother can take any action necessary to aid her newborn baby. There are several different manners in which a mother can do this. One is to have him or her massaged. Massage therapy has