TerminatedNot Applicable

Family Nurture Intervention in the CHoNJ NICU

Stopped: insufficient enrollment numbers

United States54 participantsStarted 2015-01

Plain-language summary

The purpose of this proposal is to conduct a replication study of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI) at CHoNJ. FNI facilitates mother-infant interactions that are vital to early development. These include early and repeated mother/infant calming interactions during the NICU stay, such as interactive touch with vocal soothing, sustained reciprocal olfactory exposure and family practice in comforting, and systematically implemented skin to skin holding. This has already been studied at CHONY. Findings reveal that infants who receive FNI have significant increases in EEG power, a measure of brain activity, near to term age, when compared with those who receive Standard Care. There will be two groups; STANDARD CARE (SC) and INTERVENTION (FNI). In addition, 10 pilot subjects will be enrolled to train the staff involved in the procedures used in this Randomized Control Trial (RCT). The pilot patients will be enrolled identical to study patients and will be encouraged to participate fully. They will not be included in the analysis of the RCT. The STANDARD CARE group will receive current standard of care in NICU. The INTERVENTION group, in addition to the standard care, will receive the FNI intervention, which will be facilitated by our Nurture Specialists. In addition to the SC and FNI groups, there will be a third non-randomized group of infants born at term age who will receive standard care for newborns at CHoNJ. Assessments in the NICU will include physiological measures (ECG EEG), measures of maternal sensitivity through recorded mother-infant interactions and a variety of specimen collections (saliva, blood, and breast milk samples). The investigators will be conducting two follow up studies, at 4 months corrected age and at 12 months corrected age. The investigators will test the immediate and long-term effects of this approach to the development of preterm infants. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention will alter a wide range of indices of physiological regulatory capacities, and increase brain activity as measured by EEG (power and coherence) such that a brain activation pattern in the intervention group will be more similar to that of full term infants as opposed to the standard care group. Longer term indices of mother psychological and infant neurobehavioral outcomes will also be improved when assessed during the first few months of life.

Who can participate

Age range

26 Weeks – 42 Weeks

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Infant is between 26/0 and 32/6 weeks gestational age upon admission for the INTERVENTION / STANDARD care group OR 38-42 weeks for the FULL TERM group * Infant's weight is appropriate for gestational age (AGA) * Infant is a singleton * Mother is 18 years of age or older * Mother has at least one supporting person in the home (e.g. significant other, mother, father, sibling, aunt, grandmother, step-parent) (not applicable for FULL TERM group) Exclusion Criteria: * Infant's attending does not recommend enrollment in study * The infant has severe congenital anomalies, including chromosomal anomalies or an Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) Grades 3 and 4 * Mother has known history of substance abuse, severe psychiatric illness or psychosis * Status of enrolled subject changes and subject no longer falls in inclusion criteria * Mother and/or infant has a medical condition that precludes intervention components * Mother and/or infant has a contagion that endangers other participants in the study * Mother-Infant dyad receives less than one week of intervention (not applicable to the FULL TERM group)

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

EEG measures of power and coherence

Timeframe: 34 weeks gestational age through term age

Trial details

NCT IDNCT02352142

SponsorColumbia University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2016-05

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Premature Birth trials