The effect of Qur’an recitation and kangaroo mother care on vital signs among low birth weight infants

Abstract

Background: Infants with low birth weight require intensive care to prevent potential hypothermia, which increases the risk of pain and death. Kangaroo mother care, involving skin-to-skin contact, can reduce the risk of hypothermia and strengthen the bond with their mothers.

Purpose: To observe the effect of the simultaneous application of Qur'an recitation and kangaroo mother care on the vital signs of low birth weight infants.

Method: The study involved 17 stable low birth weight infants chosen through non-probability accidental sampling. The intervention consisted of playing recorded Qur'an recitation and administering kangaroo mother care for 45 minutes daily over a period of 3 days. The recitation was played at a volume of 40-50dB, maintaining at least 30 cm distance from the infants' ears.

Results: The Shapiro-Wilk normality test showed that the data for oxygen saturation, heart rate, and temperature were normally distributed, with values exceeding α (0.05). According to the Wilcoxon test, the oxygen saturation data had a p-value of 0.001, with pre-test and post-test means of 94.29% and 98.53%, respectively. The heart rate data had a p-value of 0.011, with a pre-test mean of 139.8 beats per minute and a post-test mean of 132.4 beats per minute. The body temperature data had a p-value of 0.140, with pre-test and post-test means of 36.8°C and 36.7°C, respectively.

Conclusion: Combining kangaroo care with playing recorded Qur'an recitation in the treatment and care of low birth weight infants significantly enhances physiological parameters, including oxygen saturation and heart rate.