Heart Rate Variability and Prematurity

Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Maternal Distress - Delivered

Anxiety

Stress

Premature Birth

Treatments

Device: Heart rate variability biofeedback

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03565874

2017-02199

Details and patient eligibility

About

Mothers who deliver prematurely (<37 weeks of gestational age) experience intense stress and anxiety given that their child's survival and development might be compromised. From the existing literature, it is known that a heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) program increases heart rate variability (HRV), which in turn, is related to significant reductions in perceived stress and anxiety. This study's aim is to evaluate the feasibility of an HRVB program in a sample of mothers who delivered prematurely.

Enrollment

6 patients

Sex

Female

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Delivery between 33 and 37 weeks of gestational age
Living in Lausanne or surroundings
Infant is expected to survive
Singleton birth
Consent of mother to participate in the study
Sufficient French-speaking skills to fill out the questionnaires
Mothers older than 18 years of age

Exclusion criteria

Infant with cranial abnormality/neurological squeal such as cystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH)
Maternal history of drug or alcohol abuse or severe psychiatric disorders before or during pregnancy
Infant with congenital anomalies
Infant with hearing or vision loss
Mother and infant participating in another clinical trial