Study finds premature babies healthier when cared for by parents during hospital stay

For immediate release –

2013-02

Photo: Andy Fenton and Jack Hourigan with their daughter Tess, who was born at 27 weeks.
Tess was the first participant in Dr. Lee's Family Integrated Care Program.

Toronto (January 31, 2013) – A new model of caring for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, developed by Dr. Shoo Lee, Paediatrician-in-Chief at Mount Sinai Hospital and Scientific Director at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), has shown to have a significant positive impact on the baby's wellbeing in a new study published today in the BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Mount Sinai Hospital’s Family Integrated Care Program, the first program of its kind in North America, gives parents purpose and empowerment, promotes bonding with their babies, increases their skills for looking after their babies, and ensures a smoother transition to home because they are much more confident about looking after their babies after discharge from hospital. In this model, parents provide most of the daily care for their babies in the hospital while nurses provide education, support and guidance to the parents.

In this study, lead researchers Dr. Shoo Lee and Dr. Karel O’Brien, Staff Neonatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital found that babies receiving this type of care through the research program gained more weight (24.5%) compared with babies who were not in the program and 82.1% of babies were being breastfed at discharge, compared to 45.5% of babies not enrolled. The study also found that parents had decreased stress levels and babies had a decreased risk of infection and critical incidents.

The study was partly funded by the Preterm Birth and Healthy Outcomes Team and an Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions grant. This new model of care is now being evaluated in other neonatal intensive care units across Canada with funding by CIHR and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

"This study is important because it represents a major shift in care for infants in neonatal intensive care units to include more involvement from parents and families. I am pleased that the results of the study show the significant improvements in neonatal outcomes that result from fundamentally changing the roles of parents, families and care providers in the care process."
Dr. Shoo Lee, Dr. Shoo Lee, Paediatrician-in-Chief at Mount Sinai Hospital and Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health.

"We were so happy when Tess was born but nothing could have prepared us for the shock of being thrust into such a clinical world. We felt more like terrified visitors than new parents. The Family Integrated Care Program allowed Andy & I to become an integral part of our daughter's medical team. We were taught how to care for her by the amazing nurses, supported by other parents in the program and educated by all the staff. Our hands-on experience in the hospital created a safe environment for our family, which allowed us to become more confident and better prepared to bring Tess home. We went from passive observers to active participants."
Jack Hourigan, mother of Tess, who was born at 27 weeks and the first participant in the Family Integrated Care Program

Additional information

• Research story on Parent Integrated Care
• Other research conducted by Dr. Lee's team to improve neonatal care
• Research article in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

About Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital began almost 90 years ago as a small maternity and convalescent hospital. Today Mount Sinai stands tall and proud as an internationally recognized 472-bed academic health sciences centre affiliated with the University of Toronto, focused on delivering excellence in patient and family-centered care, innovative education and leading-edge research. Mount Sinai consistently demonstrates its commitment to excellence, compassion and improving the quality of health care in Canada through its Big Hearts and Bright Minds who are delivering the Best Medicine. More information about Mount Sinai Hospital.

About CIHR
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

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For more information, please contact:

For more information, please contact:
Leslie O’Leary
Senior Specialist, Media Relations and Public Affairs
Mount Sinai Hospital
Telephone: 416-586-4800 ext. 8306
Email: lo’leary2@mtsinai.on.ca

David Coulombe
CIHR Media Relations
Telephone: 613-941-4563
Cell: 613-808-7526
Email: mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca