Impacts of Integrating Family-Centered Care and Developmental Care Principles on Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Outcomes among High-Risk Neonates

Background: Integrating family-centered care (FCC) and developmental care (DC) principles
in neonatal care settings may improve neurodevelopmental outcomes for high-risk neonates.
However, the combined impact of FCC and DC has been underexplored. This study aimed to investigate
the effects of integrated FCC and DC on neurodevelopment and length of hospital stay
in high-risk neonates. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre–post study was conducted among 200
high-risk neonates (<32 weeks gestation or <1500 g) admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU)
in Saudi Arabia. The intervention group (n = 100) received integrated FCC and DC for 6 months. The
control group (n = 100) received standard care. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley
Scales of Infant Development-III. Length of stay and readmissions were extracted from medical
records. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in cognitive, motor, and
language scores compared to controls (p < 0.05). The intervention group had a 4.3-day reduction in the
mean length of stay versus a 1.4-day reduction in controls (p = 0.02). Integrated care independently
predicted higher cognitive scores (p = 0.001) and shorter stays (p = 0.006) in regression models. Conclusion:
Integrating FCC and DC in neonatal care enhances neurodevelopmental outcomes and reduces
hospitalization for high-risk neonates compared to standard care. Implementing relationship-based,
developmentally supportive models is critical for optimizing outcomes in this vulnerable population.