Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of breastfeeding on pain relief in full-term neonates\r\nduring injection of hepatitis B vaccine.\r\nMethods: This was a randomized clinical trial. A sample of full-term neonates was randomly allocated into two\r\ngroups: the experimental group and the control group. Neonates in the experimental group were breastfed two\r\nminutes before, during, and after the hepatitis B immunization and the control group were held in mothersâ�� arms\r\nbut not fed. Pain was assessed using the Douleur Aigu�« du Nouveau-n�© (DAN) scale measuring facial expressions,\r\nlimb movements and vocal expressions. The assessments were carried out after hepatitis B immunization.\r\nResults: One hundred thirty healthy full-term neonates were studied (65 in the experimental group and 65 in the\r\ncontrol group). Gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score and gender did not differ between the two groups. The\r\nmean total pain score as measured by the DAN scale was 3.52 (SD = 1.37) for the experimental group and it was\r\n6.78 (SD = 1.69) for the controls indicating a significant lower pain score for the experimental group (P<0.001). Also,\r\nthere were significant differences for the three measures of DAN scale that are facial expressions, limb movements\r\nand vocal expression, between the two study groups (P<0.001).\r\nConclusion: The findings confirm that breastfeeding reduces pain and is effective way for pain relief during\r\nhepatitis B vaccine injection.
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