What is often monitored continuously in the NICU to assess an infant's response to stress?

Monitoring heart rate variability is essential in the NICU as it provides valuable insights into an infant's autonomic nervous system function and overall stress response. An infant's heart rate can fluctuate due to various factors, including their level of stress, activity, and sleep cycles. By assessing heart rate variability, healthcare providers can gauge how well the infant is coping with environmental stressors and can identify any potential concerns early on. This continuous monitoring can help guide interventions aimed at improving the infant's stability and comfort.

Growth parameters, while important for assessing an infant's overall development and nutritional status, do not offer immediate feedback on the infant's physiological response to stress. Bone density is generally monitored in the context of long-term development and conditions that might affect skeletal health, and oxygen exchange levels are indeed crucial for monitoring respiratory function, but they do not provide as comprehensive a view of an infant's response to stress as heart rate variability does.