Effects of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) on feeding behavior, weight gain, and length of hospital stay in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) on body weight gain, breastfeeding behavior, and length of hospital stay in preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A randomized controlled experimental study design was used. A total of 32 preterm infants with gestational age between 26 and 30 weeks were randomly assigned to the intervention group ( n = 16) or control group ( n = 16). The intervention group received PIOMI twice daily for 7 consecutive days (14 sessions in total), while the control group received routine care only. The Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) was used to evaluate breastfeeding performance before and after the intervention. Weight changes and length of hospital stay were recorded and compared between groups. Baseline characteristics, including gestational age, birth weight, and PIBBS scores, were similar between groups. Post-intervention PIBBS scores were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group ( p < .001). Although final body weights did not differ significantly between groups, weight gain was significantly greater in the intervention group ( p = .048). Additionally, the intervention group demonstrated a significantly shorter length of hospital stay than the control group ( p = .033). PIOMI is a safe and effective intervention that can enhance feeding performance, promote weight gain, and reduce hospital stay in preterm infants admitted to NICU. These findings support the clinical utility of early oral motor stimulation in neonatal care. NCT07366190. Registered 15 December 2025 Retrospectively registered, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/beta/studies/S000GK7Z00000033/recordSummary .