With the increased survival of very preterm infants, there is a growing concern for their developmental outcomes. Infant cry characteristics reflect the development and possibly the integrity of the central nervous system. This study evaluates the distress occurring during cry in preterm newborn infants, as related to decrease of central blood oxygenation. A recording system has been developed, that allows synchronised, noninvasive monitoring of blood oxygenation and audio recordings of newborn infant's cry. In the present work we evaluate the changes in the oxygen saturation levels in the central nervous system in full term and in preterm infants, and analyze possible differences between the two groups of patients. The method has been applied to preterm and full term newborns at the Intensive Care Unit, A.Meyer children hospital, Firenze, Italy and at Nuovo Ospedale S.Giovanni di Dio, Scandicci, Firenze, Italy. Results indicate that a similar decrease of central blood oxygenation occurs in both groups of patients, but the recovery time after the crying episode is more stable and faster in full term newborns than in preterm ones.

Index Terms. oxygen saturation, preterm newborn, infant cry.