IMPACT OF MELISSA OFFICINALIS AROMATHERAPY ON THE VITAL SIGNS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STABILITY OF THE NEWBORN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/yc.v10i19.1007

Abstract

When a newborn enters the world, they face the monumental task of adapting to a completely new environment outside the womb. During this delicate and vital transition, the stability of their physiological signs acts as a precise compass, indicating how well they are responding to their new reality. However, for babies who must spend their first days of life in the hospital, the journey becomes significantly more complex. Bright ward lights, constant alarms, frequent handling, and various nursing procedures—however necessary and carefully performed—inevitably create stress and overstimulation for their fragile, immature nervous systems. It is precisely here that warmth and empathy in hospital care take on profound significance. With a focus on the baby's holistic well-being and the need to alleviate distress without resorting to medication or invasive interventions, aromatherapy using *Melissa officinalis* (commonly known as lemon balm) has emerged as a gentle, delicate, and non-pharmacological alternative. The concept of complementing traditional medical care with soothing sensory stimuli aims to provide the newborn with an environment where they feel protected, serene, and calm. With the firm aim of exploring this approach, a comprehensive study was conducted to review and understand the true scope of the scientific evidence available to date. The primary objective was to meticulously analyze how lemon balm aromatherapy influences the physiological stability of newborns, paying close attention to crucial parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature. To this end, a methodical, descriptive, and documentary search was carried out across prominent biomedical databases, including PubMed, SciELO, the Virtual Health Library (BVS), and Google Scholar. Following a rigorous assessment of the quality and relevance of each study to neonatal care, 24 research papers were selected to form the core of the analysis. The findings of this review offer a highly promising outlook: the aromas of Melissa officinalis possess clear potential to induce a state of relaxation, mitigating stress-related physiological responses and helping to maintain the infant's vital signs within more balanced and harmonious ranges. However, when examining this evidence with professional responsibility and rigor, we face an unavoidable reality: the vast majority of research published to date has been conducted on adults, older children, or in experimental laboratory settings. Consequently, specific, robust data focusing exclusively on the neonatal population remain scarce. In conclusion, aromatherapy with lemon balm emerges as a valuable "aromatic embrace" and a complementary tool capable of enriching neonatal care by providing comfort during vulnerable moments. Nevertheless, for this practice to be confidently established in clinical settings, it must always be implemented under strict institutional protocols, using safe concentrations and under the direct supervision of the nursing team. To move forward decisively and protect life at its very beginning, it is essential to continue promoting clinical trials of impeccable methodological rigor that can confirm, beyond doubt, both the efficacy and the absolute safety of this therapy for the youngest patients.

Keywords: Aromatherapy, lemon balm, neonate, physiological stability, vital signs, neonatal stress, nursing care.