Good day, everyone!

I’m Reyzel Mae Pahunao the Principal Investigator of Group 6, and for today we are
going to present our thesis entitled “THE EFFECTS OF NEONATAL POSITIONING
TECHNIQUES ON RESPIRATORY FUNCTIONING IN PREMATURE INFANTS:
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS”.
Our PICOT Question: What are the effects of prone positioning technique on respiratory

functioning in premature infants?

POPULATION- is the Premature Infants

The INTERVENTION is Prone positioning

The COMPARISONs are- supine positioning, knee-chest positioning, and lateral positioning technique.

And the OUTCOMES- Respiratory functioning

TYPE OF STUDY THAT WILL BE GATHERING IS- Cohort studies.

- Neonatal positioning techniques are one of the non-invasive interventions that can be used
to improve respiratory function and outcomes in premature infants
- Prone positioning shown to improve oxygen saturation, reduce respiratory work, and promote
lung expansion in premature infants. Supine positioning in the other hand is the most common
positioning for premature infants in (NICU) (Yang & Zhang). Lateral positioning is thought to
work by promoting more uniform ventilation and decreasing the risk of atelectasis. Mahrous and
Aboelmagd (2022) found that knee-chest positioning and semi-sitting positioning significantly
improved oxygen saturation and respiratory rate in preterm neonates with Respiratory Distress
Syndorme.
- Proper positioning plays a crucial role in optimizing respiratory function and minimizing
respiratory complications in this vulnerable population.
- Prone positioning promotes airway clearance, and reduces the risk of apnea and bradycardia
episodes. (Xu in 2021) Supine positioning, is the most common sleeping position for infants
because it decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (Miller-Barmak et al., 2020).
Lateral positioning is another beneficial technique that promotes lung expansion and ventilation-
perfusion matching. It also reduces the risk of positional plagiocephaly (flattening of the head)
compared to supine positioning (Miller-Barmak et al., 2020). Knee-chest positioning is not
commonly used for sleep but can be beneficial for short periods to improve respiratory function
in premature infants with specific conditions according to Mahrous & Aboelmagd, 2022).
- Neonatal positioning techniques, such as prone, supine, and lateral positioning, can
significantly impact respiratory parameters, including respiratory rate.
- prone positioning resulted in a significant decrease in respiratory rate compared to supine
positioning, suggesting improved respiratory stability and reduced work of breathing. Torabian
2019 observed that prone positioning significantly decreased respiratory rate compared to supine
positioning, indicating enhanced respiratory efficiency. Abdel-Nazeer 2023 found that right
lateral positioning significantly decreased respiratory rate compared to supine positioning,
indicating improved respiratory stability.
UNKNOWN
 The Philippines has a limited studies on Effects of Neonatal Positioning Techniques on
Respiratory Function in Premature Infants and there are Few studies on Neonatal Positioning
Techniques than in kangaroo mother care based on evidence
Theoretical Framework
According to Page, The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

(PRISMA) statement, specifically PRISMA 2020, has been designed primarily for systematic reviews of

studies that evaluate the effects of health interventions. PRISMA 2020 comprises a checklist of 27 items.

The initial step involves searching electronic databases for relevant studies, with common databases

including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar.

We also searched for relevant studies in conference proceedings and reference lists.

Once we had identified a list of potential studies, we screened the studies to determine whether

they met the eligibility criteria for the review. The eligibility criteria included the type of study (e.g.,

cohort studies), the population (e.g., premature infants), and the intervention (e.g., neonatal positioning

techniques). After screening the studies, the researchers assessed the full text of the eligible studies to

determine whether they met the quality criteria for the review. The quality criteria included the study

design, the methods used to collect and analyze data, and the reporting of the results. Finally, we included

the studies that met the eligibility and quality criteria in the systematic review.