Effects of developmental care in neonatal intensive care units on preterm infant outcomes: an umbrella review

To synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of developmental care interventions in the NICU on neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants. This umbrella review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported following the PRISMA guidelines. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched from inception to January 2026. Eligible studies were systematic reviews evaluating the effects of developmental care interventions on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Outcomes included cognitive, motor, behavioral, and socio-emotional domains. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool and overlap among the included reviews was quantified using the Corrected Covered Area (CCA). Twenty-eight systematic reviews were included. Four reviews were rated as high confidence, seven as low, and seventeen as critically low. Developmental care interventions generally improved neurobehavioral organization, cognitive and motor development, sleep, feeding behavior, and parental outcomes. Kangaroo Mother Care and family-centered care showed the most consistent benefits. However, evidence for effects beyond 24 months corrected age was inconsistent. Considerable heterogeneity existed across interventions, outcomes, and follow-up periods. Developmental care interventions appear to improve short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. However, confidence in the evidence is limited by methodological weaknesses and inconsistent long-term findings, highlighting the need for high-quality longitudinal research. Any protocol amendments will be registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025641814).