本研究的目的為比較圓型及十字奶嘴對早產兒口腔餵食奶量、餵食時間、吸吮效率、心跳、呼吸及血氧飽和濃度之影響。研究對象為20位某醫學中心病嬰室中生理穩定且準備出院之早產兒，其出生妊娠週數為32.2±3.2週，參與研究的矯正年齡為34.1±1.6週及體重為1996±112公克。本研究採用交叉試驗實驗法，每位早產兒在連續二餐、間隔四小時的瓶餵中，分別以隨機方式決定使用圓型及十字矽膠奶嘴的順序餵食，二組均餵予相同的醫囑奶量。研究結果發現，早產兒使用圓型較十字矽膠奶嘴時其每次進食奶量高（57.5±8.3 ml相對於51.6±9.5 ml，p=.011），每餐平均吸吮時間短（11.5±4.9分鐘相對於20.9±5.0分鐘，p<.001），且吸吮效率較高（5.8±2.5ml/分鐘相對於2.7±1.0 ml/分鐘，p<.001）。早產兒使用十字奶嘴時呼吸速率較快（44.4±4.6/分鐘相對於40.8±4.9／分鐘，p=.002）且血氧飽和濃度較高但二者均大於90％（96.1±1.4％相對於94.6±3.2％，p=.044）。不論使用何種形式奶嘴，早產兒均無血氧飽和濃度下降至小於90％且超過20秒鐘或產生心跳遲緩之情形。整體而言，早產兒使用圓形奶嘴餵食時，有較佳的餵食效能及較少呼吸的負荷。因此圓形奶嘴可做為早產兒岀院前餵食時奶嘴之選擇。

The purpose of this study was to compare the amount of total milk intake, feeding time, sucking efficiency, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and oxygen saturation (SpO₂) of premature infants when fed with either signal-hole or cross-cut nipple units. Twenty stable infants admitted to a level II nursery in a tertiary care center with gestational ages averaging 32.2±3.2 wks were enrolled. Subjects had an average postmenstrual age of 34.1±1.6 wks, and average body weight of 1996±112 gm. A crossover design was used and infants were observed for two consecutive meals separated by a four-hour interval. They were bottle fed with equal feeding amounts using a single-hole and cross-cut nipple administered in random order. Results showed that infants fed with single-hole nipple units took more milk (57.5±8.3 ml vs. 51.6±9.5 ml, p = .011), had a shorter feeding time per meal (11.5±4.9 min vs. 20.9±5.0 min, p < .001), and sucked more efficiently (5.8±2.5 ml/min vs. 2.7±1.0 ml/min, p< .001) compared to those fed through cross-cut nipples. Infants using cross-cut nipple units had a higher RR (44.4±4.6 breaths/minutes vs. 40.8±4.9 breaths/minutes, p = .002) and SpO₂ (96.1±1.4% vs. 94.6±3.2%, p = .044) than those using single-hole nipples. Oxygen desaturation (SpO₂< 90% and lasting for longer than 20 sec) and bradycardia were not recorded in either group of infants during feeding. Compared to using cross-cut nipple units, premature infants using single-hole nipple units take more milk and tend to tolerate feedings better. A single-hole nipple may be a choice for physiologically stable bottle-fed premature infants.