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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Apr;111(4):760-766.
doi: 10.1111/apa.16231. Epub 2021 Dec 28.

Home phototherapy of term neonates improves parental bonding and stress: Findings from a randomised controlled trial

Miriam Pettersson  1   2 , Mats Eriksson  1   3 , Andreas Odlind  4 , Andreas Ohlin  1   2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Home phototherapy of term neonates improves parental bonding and stress: Findings from a randomised controlled trial

Miriam Pettersson et al. Acta Paediatr. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to evaluate whether in-home phototherapy for hyperbilirubinaemia could reduce the poorer parent-infant bonding and increased parental stress associated with neonatal hospital treatment.

Methods: In this multicentre randomised controlled trial, we allocated families to either home phototherapy or standard hospital care. The primary outcome was parent-infant bonding measured on the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire directly after therapy and 4 months later. Secondary outcomes were results on four other instruments measuring parental bonding, quality of life and mental health.

Results: We randomised 78 of 147 newborn infants to intervention and 69 to the control group. No significant differences were detected in length of stay, mean bilirubin, or weight gain. Parents in the intervention group had better scores on bonding both at discharge (p = 0.034) and at 4 months (p = 0.008; effect size r = 0.2) and lower levels of stress at 4 months (p = 0.024) than controls. No statistically significant outcomes were found for the secondary outcomes.

Conclusion: In-home phototherapy improved bonding and reduced parental stress in comparison with usual in-hospital treatment. Caregivers should consider offering home phototherapy to families of non-immunised term infants with hyperbilirubinaemia.

Keywords: home phototherapy; neonatal hyperbilirubinemia; parental stress; parental-child bonding.

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References

REFERENCES

    1. American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on Hyperbilirubinemia. Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics. 2004;114(1):297-316.
    1. Rennie J, Burman-Roy S, Murphy MS. Guideline Development Group. NICE guidance. BMJ. 2010;340(may19 3):c2409.
    1. Pettersson M, Eriksson M, Albinsson E, Ohlin A. Home phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia in term neonates-an unblinded multicentre randomized controlled trial. Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(5):1603-1610.
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