title: Breastfeeding and pain relief in full-term neonates during immunization injections: a clinical randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the effect of breastfeeding on pain relief in full-term neonates during injection of hepatitis B vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized clinical trial. A sample of full-term neonates was randomly allocated into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Neonates in the experimental group were breastfed two minutes before, during, and after the hepatitis B immunization and the control group were held in mothers' arms but not fed. Pain was assessed using the Douleur Aiguë du Nouveau-né (DAN) scale measuring facial expressions, limb movements and vocal expressions. The assessments were carried out after hepatitis B immunization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty healthy full-term neonates were studied (65 in the experimental group and 65 in the control group). Gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score and gender did not differ between the two groups. The mean total pain score as measured by the DAN scale was 3.52 (SD = 1.37) for the experimental group and it was 6.78 (SD = 1.69) for the controls indicating a significant lower pain score for the experimental group (P<0.001). Also, there were significant differences for the three measures of DAN scale that are facial expressions, limb movements and vocal expression, between the two study groups (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings confirm that breastfeeding reduces pain and is effective way for pain relief during hepatitis B vaccine injection.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  IRCT201104166206N1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. p_rahnama1381@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Modarres
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rahnama
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montazeri
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