Effectiveness of Preterm Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) on oral feeding readiness among preterm infants: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Preterm infants often experience feeding issues due to neuromuscular immaturity and underdeveloped oral motor skills leading to delayed oral feeding readiness and prolonged hospitalization. Preterm infant oral motor intervention (PIOMI) has been progressed as non-invasive strategy to enhance oral feeding readiness among preterm infants. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research approach with non-randomized pretest post-test control group design was adopted. The study was carried out in a NICU of Tertiary care hospital in North India between February to October, 2024. A total of 130 Preterm infants (65 in each group) fulfilling inclusion criteria were assigned to an intervention group receiving oral stimulation twice daily for 7 days for 5 min and control group received routine care only. Baseline oral motor development was assessed and post-test was done on 1st, 4th and 7th days using preterm oral feeding readiness assessment scale (POFRAS). Data was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models (LMM) to evaluate the changes in oral motor development over time between groups. RESULTS: Oral motor development scores were found to be comparable at baseline between intervention and control group (p > 0.05). The linear mixed- effects model showed a significant effect of time (p < 0.001) and a significant group X time interaction (p < 0.001), indicating greater improvement in oral feeding readiness among infants receiving PIOMI compared with only routine care. No significant association was found between demographic variables and oral motor development scores. CONCLUSIONS: The Preterm Infant Oral Motor Intervention significantly improved oral motor development among preterm infants. PIOMI is feasible nurse-led intervention that support oral feeding readiness among preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2023/11/060267). Registered on: 28/11/2023.