Kontakt 2025, 27(4):348-353 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2025.060

Effect of multisensory interventions on relieving procedural pain in newborns during neonatal screeningNursing - Original article

Kateřina Greplová ORCID...¹, Bohdana Dušová ORCID...¹, Jana Chromá ORCID...¹, Martina Bašková ORCID...^{2, *}

¹ University of Ostrava, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czech Republic

² Comenius University Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Department of Midwifery, Martin, Slovak Republic

Introduction: Procedural pain in newborns is a serious clinical problem with potential long-term consequences. Multisensory non-pharmacological interventions are currently regarded as an effective and safe alternative to pharmacological pain relief.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the most effective multisensory interventions during neonatal screening and assess the effect of selected perinatal factors on the intensity of the pain response.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 76 full-term newborns. The assessment of pain was conducted using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) and the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) behavioral scales. The subjects of the study were divided into four groups according to the type of intervention received (breastfeeding, breastfeeding and voice, voice and touch, no intervention).

Results: The breastfeeding group exhibited the lowest pain scores. The combination of sensory stimuli demonstrably reduced pain intensity more effectively than methods that did not include breastfeeding (p < 0.001). Hypotrophy was identified as a risk factor for higher pain levels (p < 0.05). Heart rate proved to be a reliable physiological indicator of pain, whereas oxygen saturation had lower information value.

Conclusion: The results clearly confirm the set goal, which was to determine the most effective multisensory intervention in neonatal screening and to evaluate the influence of perinatal factors. At the same time, the results lead to the recommendation to introduce breastfeeding, or a combination of breastfeeding and verbal stimulation, as a standard part of care during capillary blood collection, with an emphasis on systematic education of healthcare personnel and the active involvement of parents in pain prevention.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Full-term newborn; Multisensory intervention; Neonatal screening; Procedural pain

Grants and funding:

This research was conducted and funded with the support of specific university research at the University of Ostrava, project SGS07/LF/2024.

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Received: August 6, 2025; Revised: September 29, 2025; Accepted: November 27, 2025; Prepublished online: December 5, 2025; Published: December 9, 2025  Show citation