This study was aimed at finding the effects of cycled lighting on body weight, physiological variables and the behavioral state of LBWI (low birth weight infants) in the NICU.

The subjects were 20 LBWI at 2 NICUs. They were assigned to an experimental or control group which consisted of 10 subjects in each. Cycled light was applied to the experimental group for 10 days.

It was certified that the application of cycled lighting resulted in increased body weight and O₂ saturation, and decreased heart rate of the LBWI. However, there was no effect in decrease of respiration and stabilization of the behavioral state.

The application of cycled lighting might be a nursing intervention which would in turn have positive effects on the growth of LBWI.

To examine the effects of body position and time after feeding on gastric residuals in low birth weight infants(LBW).

A repeated measures design was conducted. Twenty LBW infants being fed via indwelling nasogastric tubes were randomly assigned to one of 5 different position orderings. In each position, gastric residuals were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after feeding.

In comparisons of gastric residuals with position and time, the main effects of position and time were statistically significant (F = 5.038, p = 0.001; F = 429.763, p < 0.001, respectively), but the interaction between position and time was found not to be significant. In pairwise comparisons, the gastric residuals were more reduced in the right anterior oblique and prone positions compared with the left lateral position (P < 0.05) and the differences across time periods were significant (p < 0.001).

The body position after feeding has a significant affect on gastric residuals over time in LBW infants. The right anterior oblique or prone position is recommended rather than left lateral position after feeding. Knowledge of the proper position and the pattern of gastric emptying over time after feeding may lead to the development of evidence-based nursing care.

This paper reports the results of a hospital centered follow-up program on parenting stress, parenting efficacy and coping for mothers with very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

The follow-up program consisted of home visiting by an expert group and self-help program for 1 year. A non-equivalent control group pre-post quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 70 mothers with low birth weight infants and were assigned to one of two groups, an experimental groups (n=28), which received the family support program; and a control group (n=27), which received the usual discharge education. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, t-test, and ANCOVA with IBM SPSS statistics 20.0.

Mothers' parenting stress (F=5.66, p=.004) was significantly decreased in the experimental group. There were also significant increases in parenting efficacy (F=13.05, p<.001) and coping (F=8.91, p=.002) in the experimental group.

The study findings suggest that a follow-up program for mothers with VLBW infants is an effective intervention to decrease mothers' parenting stress and to enhance parenting efficacy and coping.

This study was done to evaluate the effects of antenatal depression on birth outcomes.

The participants were 255 pregnant women who were followed in a prospective study. Of these, 197 cases were examined included birth weight, Apgar scores at 5 minute, premature contraction, complication of labor, delivery types and laboratory data. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Chi square test of linear by linear association, Kruskal Wallis test, Relative Risk, univariate and adjusted multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis with SPSS/Win.

Level of antenatal depression was associated with low birth weight (χ²=7.69, p=.010). High risk pregnancy was a predictor of low birth weight (OR=6.98 [1.21-40.30]) and baby's weight (OR=2.12, [1.05-4.28]). Prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) was a predictor of complications in labor (OR=3.59, [1.03-12.48]). But there were no significant effects of antenatal depression on other birth outcomes.

The results of this study indicate that women with antenatal depression, high risk pregnancy, prepregnancy BMI≥23 kg/M² should be monitored and managed to ensure favorable birth outcomes.