Stochastic vibration and early weight growth in opioid-exposed newborns: a randomized trial
In brief
Stochastic vibration raises 4-week weight gain to 30% in morphine-treated opioid-exposed newborns
In a trial of 181 term infants with prenatal opioid exposure, overall weight trajectories did not differ between usual care and stochastic vibrotactile stimulation (SVS). However, among infants receiving morphine for symptoms, SVS produced about 30% weight gain by four weeks versus 18% with usual care, hinting at a growth benefit that warrants further study.
- Journal
- Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association (Q1)
- Published
- 24 August 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Elisabeth Bloch-Salisbury, Nicolas Rodriguez, Tory Bruch, Lauren McKenna, Matthew Derbin, Dane Netherton, et al.
- PMID
- 42637897
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41372-026-02862-z
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Neonatology (top studies of the week, 30 August 2026): Randomized trial, early weight gain in opioid-exposed newborns
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To test whether stochastic vibrotactile stimulation (SVS) improved early weight trajectories in hospitalized term newborns with prenatal opioid exposure. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective, two-site randomized controlled trial compared days to lowest weight following birthweight [Nadir], maximal percent weight loss from birthweight [MaxLoss], days to return to birthweight [RtB], and weekly percent weight change from birth through the first month of life between infants who received treatment as usual (TAU) and infants who received SVS throughout hospitalization. RESULTS: Among 181 term newborns [mean gestational age 39.0 ± 1.2weeks), no differences were observed between TAU (n = 87) and SVS (n = 94) for Nadir, MaxLoss, or RtB. Among symptomatic infants treated with morphine, mean weight gain at four weeks was significantly greater for SVS (29.88 ± 1.02%) than TAU (18.15 ± 7.31%; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among morphine-treated infants, the SVS cohort had greater early weight growth than the TAU cohort. Weight growth via SVS has implications for reduced morbidities and improved developmental outcomes in at-risk opioid-exposed newborns. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: June 6, 2016, clinicaltrials.gov NCT02801331 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02801331 ).
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.