The Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Relaxation on Breast Milk Volume and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy in Mothers of Preterm Infants

January 2, 2026 updated by: Suzi Özdemir, Kocaeli University

The Impact of Virtual Reality-Assisted Relaxation on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Breast Milk Production in Mothers of Premature Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study evaluates whether using virtual reality (VR) for relaxation helps mothers of premature babies produce more breast milk and feel more confident about breastfeeding. Mothers in the intervention group used VR headsets to watch calming nature videos while listening to music before expressing milk. The study compares their milk volume and self-efficacy scores to a control group receiving standard care.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a virtual reality (VR) relaxation intervention on breast milk production and breastfeeding confidence in mothers of premature infants.

Methodology:

  • The study followed a randomized controlled design with two parallel groups.
  • A total of 44 mothers whose infants were hospitalized in a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were enrolled.
  • Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group.

Intervention and Procedures:

  • Intervention Group: Participants used a VR headset to watch a 10-minute video featuring nature landscapes accompanied by classical music. Following the video, the researcher performed manual milk expression for at least 20 minutes.
  • Control Group: Participants sat in the same breastfeeding room but did not use the VR headset. They received the same manual milk expression procedure by the same researcher.
  • The procedure was conducted once daily for three consecutive days for both groups.
  • To maintain stability in milk fat content, all sessions took place between 12:00 and 14:00.

Data Collection:

  • Daily milk volume was measured in milliliters using sterile containers or injectors.
  • Breastfeeding self-efficacy was assessed at the end of the third day using the "Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale for Mothers of Preterm Infants".
  • Demographic information was collected at the beginning of the study using a personal information form.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
44

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • İzmit
      • Kocaeli, İzmit, Turkey (Türkiye), 41001
        • Kocaeli University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Mothers who have given birth to a single infant between 32 and 35 weeks of gestation.
  • Mothers whose infants are hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
  • Mothers who have delivered via Cesarean section.
  • First-time mothers (Primiparous).
  • Mothers who are willing to provide breast milk and participate in the study.
  • Mothers whose infants are not yet able to breastfeed directly and require milk expression.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mothers with any systemic or psychiatric diseases.
  • Mothers with obstetric complications.
  • Mothers who have a history of using addictive substances.
  • Mothers who use medications or herbal products to increase breast milk (galactagogues).
  • Mothers with hearing or vision impairments that would prevent the use of a VR headset.
  • Mothers whose infants have congenital anomalies.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Virtual Reality Group
Mothers in this group used a virtual reality (VR) headset before the milk expression process. They watched a 10-minute relaxation video consisting of nature scenes (forests, waterfalls) accompanied by classical music. After the session, the researcher performed manual milk expression for at least 20 minutes. This procedure was repeated once daily for three days.
Behavioral: Virtual Reality-Based Relaxation
A 10-minute immersive VR experience featuring calming nature landscapes and classical music designed to reduce stress and promote let-down reflex before milk expression.
No Intervention: Control Group
Mothers in this group received standard care. They sat in the same breastfeeding room for 10 minutes but did not use the VR headset or any other relaxation intervention. Following this period, the researcher performed manual milk expression for at least 20 minutes using the same technique as the experimental group. This procedure was repeated once daily for three days.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Daily Breast Milk Volume
Time Frame: Daily for 3 consecutive days.
The total amount of breast milk expressed manually during the study session.
Daily for 3 consecutive days.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Score
Time Frame: At the end of the 3rd day of the intervention.
Maternal confidence in breastfeeding as measured by the "Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale for Mothers of Preterm Infants" (BSES-SF-PI). The scale consists of 20 items. Total scores range from 20 to 100, where higher scores indicate higher levels of breastfeeding self-efficacy.
At the end of the 3rd day of the intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kocaeli University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Suzi-04

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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