Implementation of Infant Massage Therapy to Increase Oxygen Saturation in Neonates: A Scoping Review

Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research Volume 6 Number 3, Juni 2024 e-ISSN 2715-1972; p-ISSN 2714-9749 http://jurnal.globalhealthsciencegroup.com/index.php/IJGHR IMPLEMENTATION OF INFANT MASSAGE THERAPY TO INCREASE OXYGEN SATURATION IN NEONATES: A SCOPING REVIEW Dede Jubaedah*, Siti Yuyun Rahayu Fitri, Ai Mardhiyah Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Raya Bandung Sumedang KM.21, Hegarmanah, Jatinangor, Sumedang, West Java 45363, Indonesia * ABSTRACT Stress and pain in premature babies can cause a decrease in oxygen saturation and changes in respiratory rate. Touch stimulation is one of the most advanced senses used by medical practitioners to soothe babies. Objective: This review aims to see the effectiveness of implementing infant massage therapy in increasing oxygen saturation in neonates. Method: A literature search was conducted on: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL. The collected data is then extracted, synthesized, and presented as tables and narratives. The search strategy uses the keywords ("baby massage" OR "massage therapy") AND ("Neonatal") AND (Oxygen Saturation)). The articles used are from 2017 to 2023. Results: 757 neonates participated in 10 studies from 4 countries that met this review's criteria. The literature research design used was Quasi-experimental (n=4) and Randomized Controlled Trial (n=6). Conclusions: In this review, it was found that implementing massage therapy can increase the average percentage of oxygen saturation. This review also found that several studies agreed that massage therapy would be more effective when combined with the prone position. However, study results are still found to be inconsistent with these results. This may occur due to several factors including heterogeneity of implementation, differences in clinical conditions, and the lack of studies that specifically examine the effectiveness of implementing infant massage therapy on increasing oxygen saturation in neonates. Keywords: baby massage; massage therapy; neonatal; oxygen saturation First Received Revised Accepted 01 March 2024 14 March 2024 15 March 2024 Final Proof Received Published 27 March 2024 01 April 2024 How to cite (in APA style) Jubaedah, D., Fitri, S. Y. R., & Mardhiyah, A. (2024). Implementation of Infant Massage Therapy to Increase Oxygen Saturation in Neonates: A Scoping Review. Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research, 6(3), 11151124. https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v6i3.2829. INTRODUCTION Every year 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely worldwide, which means there are 15 million premature births every year (WHO., 2018). Preterm birth leads to an increased risk of mortality and morbidity in both the short and long term (Vogel et al., 2018). Although many preterm babies occur in developed countries, the mortality rate of preterm babies born in lower-middle-income countries is eight times higher (Zhang et al., 2023). Longer hospitalization and high care costs for premature babies are problems that are often found because premature babies experience immaturity in the growth of major organs, problems regulating behavior, difficulty eating, and slow growth (White-Traut et al., 2021). Parents of premature babies experience increased conditions of stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression, as well as decreased self-confidence in caring for children (Baía et al., 2016;Garfield et al., 2019). This can lead to a decrease in the optimal interaction between parents and babies so that the baby's growth and development can worsen (Baía et al., 2016; Garfield et al., 2019). Therefore, early treatment of preterm infants is essential in both developed and developing countries. 1115 Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research, Vol 6 No 3, June 2024 Premature babies are more likely to experience difficulties and complications because their organs do not have much time to develop in the womb. The lungs of premature babies have immature tissue. The most common problem resulting from this condition is respiratory distress syndrome. Furthermore, intensive care is needed by premature babies to overcome this condition. Babies admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and separated from their mothers for weeks and often months are exposed to stressful environments and painful invasive treatments necessary for their survival. Stress and pain in premature infants can lead to decreased oxygen saturation and changes in respiratory rate (Mohamed et al., 2018). Therefore, finding new approaches to reduce stress in preterm infants in the NICU is an important topic in the field of nursing care. Improving health and normal growth in premature babies is influenced by the unique role of nurses where positive neurological development in premature babies must always be maintained by neonatal nurses (Dussi & Ferrari, 2021). In recent years, many neonatal units have begun to introduce a series of care measures based on somatic (stimulation of the somatosensory system), kinesthetic (stimulation by movement), and sensory (stimulation of the senses: visual, auditory, tactile stimulation, smell and taste), intending to facilitate the neuromotor and emotional development of premature infants (Abdallah et al., 2013). Touch stimulation is one of the most advanced senses used by medical practitioners to soothe premature babies, and it is essential for their development & growth (Vargas-Porras et al., 2020). The heart rate in premature babies who were given moderate pressure was reported to be lower and appeared more relaxed as indicated by the results of assessing their waking and sleeping status and assessing their behavior (Pepino & Mezzacappa, 2015). There are generally two types of infant touch: care-giving touch and massage therapy. Caregiving touch is the process of daily care of infants in the NICU and includes feeding, nappy changing, and examination. In contrast, therapeutic infant massage is a methodological means of stimulating infants (Álvarez et al., 2017). Several studies have shown various benefits of massage therapy for preterm infants, such as weight gain, immune enhancement, cognitive improvement, neurodevelopment, and shorter hospitalization (Zhang et al., 2023). Motor and physical development in newborn babies can be improved with low-cost and nonpharmacological but effective interventions, through massage therapy (White-Traut et al., 2021). Based on the relevant literature that we have researched, it is reported that there is a positive effect of massage therapy on various indicators such as increasing body weight, level of immunity, cognitive ability, etc. However, there is still controversy regarding whether massage therapy can improve oxygen saturation (Elsagh et al., 2019) in preterm infants. In addition, due to safety concerns in touching infants, a minimal touch policy was established in the NICU which resulted in massage therapy not being performed in most NICUs with infants experiencing respiratory problems. Thus, further review o (...truncated)