Comparison the Effects of Stimulating the Sucking and Grasp Reflexs on Pain and Crying Duration Induced by Blood Sampling in Neonates

Background and objective: Given the inevitability of blood sampling procedures in hospitalized neonates and the use of natural reflex stimulation as a non-pharmacological method, this study aimed to compare the effects of stimulating the sucking and grasp reflexes on pain intensity and crying duration following blood sampling in hospitalized neonates.

Materials and methods

This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2024 on neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Rafsanjan, Iran. Neonates were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: sucking reflex stimulation, grasp reflex stimulation, and control. In Intervention Group 1, the sucking reflex was stimulated by placing a pacifier in the neonate's mouth two minutes before and up to one minute after the blood sampling procedure. In Intervention Group 2, during the same period, the grasp reflex was stimulated by placing a soft object (a cotton-filled finger of a latex-free vinyl glove) in the neonate's palm. The neonates in the control group received no specific intervention. The pain scores were assessed using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), and data were analyzed using SPSS software.