Massage therapy by mothers and trained professionals enhances weight gain in preterm infants.
BACKGROUND
The method of "massage therapy" has consistently shown increased weight gain in preterm infants. The weight gain was apparent during massages administered by professionals.


OBJECTIVE
To replicate the results of increased weight gain in the course of "massage therapy" in preterm infants, and utilize a new, cost-effective application of this method by comparing maternal to nonmaternal administration of the therapy.


METHODS
Random cluster design.


METHODS
The study comprised 57 healthy, preterm infants assigned to three groups: two treatment groups--one in which the mothers performed the massage, and the other in which a professional female figure unrelated to the infant administered the treatment. Both these groups were compared to a control group.


RESULTS
Over the 10-day study period, the two treatment groups gained significantly more weight compared to the control group (291.3 and 311.3 vs. 225.5 g, respectively). Calorie intake/kg did not differ between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Mothers are able to achieve the same effect size as that of trained professionals, allowing cost-effective application of the treatment within the neonatal intensive care unit.
Ferber
Sari Goldstein
SG
Department of Neonatology, Wolfson Medical Center, Tel Giborim, Holon, Israel.ferbers@post.tau.ac.il
Kuint
Jacob
J
Weller
Aron
A
Feldman
Ruth
R
Dollberg
Shaul
S
Arbel
Eliana
E
Kohelet
David
D
D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*