Effects of maternal sound stimulation on preterm infants: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Aims To evaluate the effects of maternal sound stimulation on preterm infants. Background With an increased focus of studies on maternal sound stimulation for preterm infants, there is a need for an up‐to‐date systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials to measure the effects of maternal sound stimulation on preterm infants. Design A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Data sources We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL Complete, VIP Journal Integration Platform, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and China Biology Medicine disc from database establishment to 28 April 2021. Review methods We conducted the meta‐analysis using Review Manager 5.3. Integrative description was used for data that were not suitable for meta‐analysis. Results A total of 380 studies between 1979 and 2021 were retrieved and 26 were included in this systematic review. Maternal sound stimulation could significantly reduce the pain level and increase the comfort level of preterm infants during a painful procedure. Compared with routine care, maternal sound stimulation could help preterm infants achieve better physiological stability by reducing their heart rate and increasing their oxygen saturation. Conclusion Maternal sound stimulation is a feasible and effective intervention for preterm infants, which is highly recommended in the clinical setting.