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2nd Canadian National Research Perinatal Meeting: A lot of RRISIQ members

During the 2nd Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting, which took place February 24th-26th in Montebello, Quebec, regular researchers and students from RRISIQ presented their perinatal and neonatal research projects to researchers and clinicians from all parts of Canada. All funded by RRISIQ, these research projects aimed to improve the health of preterm infants and their mothers, as well as to guide the nursing care provided to this clientele.

                First, Britney Benoit a Master’s student under the supervision of Sonia Semenic at McGill University, communicated orally the results of her qualitative research whose aim was to identify the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the new guidelines of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in neonatal units according to different healthcare professionals working in neonatology (nurse practitioners and educators, lactation consultants in addition to nursing and medical managers). In light of the barriers and facilitators identified during her research, Ms. Benoit recommends promoting the new guidelines as a facilitator to family-centered care, optimizing the knowledge of health professionals in neonatology, improving the access to lactation consultants, and identifying a core group of "champions" within the neonatal unit to support the implementation of the guidelines. Also, Valerie Lebel, a doctoral student at the University of Montreal under the supervision of Marilyn Aita and Celeste Johnston, also presented by poster the results of her randomized clinical trial that evaluated, during a 24-hour period, the effect of cycled lighting and near darkness lighting on the physiological stability and motor activity of preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation. The results of her experimental study confirm that the physiological stability and motor activity of preterm infants were comparable when exposed to either mode of lighting in the neonatal unit. Ms. Lebel recommends further research to determine which lighting mode, that is cycled lighting or near darkness lighting would be optimal to foster growth and development of 28 to 32 weeks gestational age preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal unit. Furthermore, Marjolaine Héon from the Université de Montréal, presented by poster her pilot study which aims to assess the acceptability of breastmilk expression at preterm infants’ bedside. Preliminary results show that the expression of breast milk is acceptable for mothers of preterm infants. In addition, this intervention would optimize their presence at their infant’s bedside, increase their physical and emotional closeness, and promote attachment and their involvement in the care of their infant. Then, Marilyn Aita from the Université de Montréal also presented a poster communicating the preliminary results of her pilot study whose goal was to assess the acceptability of nurses towards the reduction of light and noise in the neonatal unit during mothers and infants’ skin-to-skin contact periods. Her study’s results indicated that nurses found acceptable the reduction of the light and noise during skin-to-skin contact and confirmed that it did not interfere with their care. Ms. Aita then concludes that the results of the pilot study support the conduct of a large scale randomized clinical trial, which will aim to assess the effect of this intervention on preterm infants’ and mothers’ outcomes. Finally, Nancy Feeley from McGill University presented a poster showing the results of her qualitative study evaluating couples’ perceptions of the causes of postpartum depression in women, as well as to identify similarities and differences between the couples’ perceptions. According to the study results of Ms. Feeley, women and men identified nine causes to postpartum depression in women, such as transition to parenthood, presence of physical problems after childbirth, and lack of social support. Couples’ perceptions off all causes were similar, except for social pressure which only men believed it could be a cause to women’s postpartum depression. Ms. Feeley states that her findings can guide the care individualization tailoring couples’ beliefs associated to the causes of postpartum depression in women and provide care options more acceptable for those couples.

                Congratulations to researchers and students members of RRISIQ who took this opportunity to present their research projects and share their knowledge with perinatal and neonatal Canadian researchers and clinicians.


Article written by Marilyn Aita et Marjolaine Héon