Objective: This study aimed to evaluate if adaptive responses of very preterm newborns to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) daily nursing, specifically bathing and weighing procedures are associated with their neurodevelopment after 2 years.
Study design: Twenty-six very preterm newborns, with a gestational age <32 weeks, were enrolled. Infants' adaptive responses to daily nursing were evaluated, at 30 to 32 to 35 postmenstrual age (PMA) weeks by an observational sheet. Neurodevelopment was assessed at 24 months of corrected age by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. Autonomic, motor, and self-regulatory responses to NICU nursing were analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficient and multivariate linear regression with Bayley's cognitive, language, and motor scales.
Results: Significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations of self-regulatory and autonomic responses to nursing with all Bayley's scales were found at 30- and 32-week PMA. At 35-week PMA, only self-regulatory responses had significant positive correlations with all Bayley's scales. When adjusted for birth weight and sex, the significant associations were confirmed only at 30- and 32-week PMA.
Conclusion: Very preterm newborn adaptive responses to NICU daily nursing reveal to be positively related to forthcoming neurodevelopment 2 years later, as early as the 30-week PMA. Helping preterm babies to adapt to daily NICU nursing may promote their future neurobehavior.
