Father-infant skin to skin contact benefits low birth weight neonates, finds study

Extensive research has been done to demonstrate clinical efficacy and health benefits of mother-infant skin to skin contact (Kangaroo Mother Care) in preterm and low birth weight neonates. A study published in Acta Pediatrica reveals better wakefulness and physiological stability among neonates who were separated from mothers who received infant-father skin to skin contact.

Ana et al from Department of Women's and Children's health, Sweden have presented benefits of providing infant-father skin-skin contact at circumstances where mother and infant need to be separated. Separating infants and mother after a Caesarean section is still the routine care worldwide, hence paternal new born care appears to be important. Also this enhances bonding of father and child in the later life.

Ana Ayala and her team performed a randomized control design to assess effects of three caring models on newborn full-term infants after a Caesarean section. 95 infants fulfilling inclusion criteria were randomized into three groups: cot, father's arm and skin-to-skin contact with their father . Physiological parameters namely heart rate, temperature , oxygen saturation were assessed and compared along with state of wakefulness among the three groups.

Key findings of the study are:

1.Infants in the skin-to-skin contact group had a higher mean heart at 45 minutes after C-section delivery compared to other two groups.

2.Upon analysis, they found that infants in skin-to-skin group showed a higher state of wakefulness than those infants in father's arm.

3. Also those infants receiving skin-to-skin contact maintained an alert pattern of wakefulness for a prolonged time which facilitates self-regulation.

However no significant difference was observed in terms of temperature and oxygen saturation among three groups.

Authors concluded that prolonged state of wakefulness in the skin-to-skin contact group seems to provide better cardio-respiratory adaptation after birth.

They further added-: "The newborns can be safely and adequately cared for by their fathers if mothers cannot take care of them straight after birth"

Source: Ayala A, Christensson K, Christensson E, Cavada G, Erlandsson K, Velandia M. Newborn infants who received skin-to-skin contact with fathers after Caesarean sections showed stable physiological patterns. Acta Paediatr. 2021;110:1461–1467. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15685