Sleep-wake pattern in preterm infants under two different care schedules during four-day polygraphic recording.

The sleep-wake pattern of healthy preterm infants under two different schedules of routine procedures was studied by 4-day polygraphic-recording. Group-I experienced the usual routine care conditions, Group-II remained less disturbed by means of time-coordination of the procedures. Group-II-infants were less awake, showed a higher percentage of active sleep and the undisturbed phases of active and quiet sleep were longer than in Group-I-infants. Routine procedures left Group-II-infants more often in an unchanged state than Group-I-infants, the latter exhibiting an arousal reaction more frequently. The unknown effect of sleep disturbances in preterm-infants demands a reduction and coordination of routine procedures as far as possible.