The impact of video calling between preterm infants and their mothers on the physiological parameters of infants and mother-infant bonding

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of video calling between preterm infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and their mothers on the physiological parameters of infants and mother-infant bonding. Background: Preterm infants need prolonged treatment in the NICU, and their families may have difficulty seeing their babies during this treatment process. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized-controlled, experimental study. The study sample consisted of 75 preterm infants and their mothers. The data were collected using a maternal introductory information form, a preterm infant introductory information form, a preterm infant physiological parameters follow-up form, and the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS). The study included 3 study groups: the video call group, the video call with lullaby group, and the control group. Video calls between preterm infants and their mothers were made through Zoom for 5 to 10 minutes daily for 7 days. The mothers filled out the MIBS online before and on the 7th and 30th days of the study. Results: Preterm infants in the video call and the video call with lullaby groups had higher MIBS mean scores on the 7th and 30th days of the study than their pretest MIBS scores. Preterm infants in the video call and the video call with lullaby groups had statistically significantly higher MIBS mean scores on the seventh day of the study than those in the control group. At the end of the 7-day study period, there was an improvement in the physiological parameters of preterm infants in the video call group and the video call with lullaby group compared with those in the control group, and this relationship was statistically significant. Conclusions: In conclusion, the implementation of video calls between mothers and preterm infants in NICUs had a healing effect on the physiological parameters of preterm infants and increased mother-infant bonding.