Newborns often feel scared and in pain during medical tests or treatments. A large review looked at whether playing white noise could help. The analysis combined data from 721 babies across several studies. The goal was simple: see if a quiet, steady sound could make these difficult moments easier for tiny patients.
The results were promising for pain. Babies exposed to white noise had significantly lower pain scores during and after invasive procedures. Their heart rates and oxygen levels stayed more stable. They cried less after the procedure. Overall comfort also improved for the infants involved in the research.
However, the review has a limitation. The number of studies included was small. This reduced confidence in the findings about how well white noise improved overall comfort. While the data suggests white noise may have advantages for pain, more research is needed to fully understand its benefits for newborn comfort.