Delivery Room Skin-to-skin Study

N/ACompletedNCT01959737

University of Cologne88 enrolled

Overview

The first hours after birth are a sensitive period for promotion of optimal mother-child-interaction and secure attachment. Maternal sensitivity and responsivness are high in the first hours after birth due to high oxytocin levels. Developing optimal mother-child-interaction is more difficult for preterm mothers because mother and child are separated after birth and the preterm infant is not able to show strong signs to promote maternal sensitivity. We hypothesize that promoting skin-to-skin contact of VLBW infants and their mothers for 60 minutes within the first hours after birth improves mother-child-interaction at 5 to 6 months corrected age. We also hypothesize that reactivity of HPA axis and molecular patterns of stress signaling pathways differ in preterm infant with or without SSC after birth.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Very Low Birthweight Infants Mother Child Interaction Preterm Infant

skin-to.skin-contactPROCEDURE

Immediately after initial stabilization/ assessment of the VLBW infant, skin-to-skin contact of mother and infant is initiated and kept up for 60 minutes.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 10 MinutesMax age: 60 Minutes

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Birthweight \<1500g, first child, informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Multiples, malformation

Locations (1)

University hospital of Cologne, Department of Neonatology

Cologne, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Maternal sensitivity and responsiveness

Maternal sensitivity and responsiveness are assessed with the "Mannheimer Method" for the analysis of mother child interaction. At the infants corrected age of 4 to 6 months a videotape of the mother changing the infants diapers and playing with the infant is used for analysis.

Time frame: 4 to 6 moinths corrected age

Secondary Outcomes

Reactivity of HPA-axis

Salivary cortisol assessment before and 20 minutes after heel lance

Time frame: 36 to 40 weeks corrected age

Molecular characterization of stress signaling pathways

Genomic expression of the Glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), Corticotropin releasing hormon (CRH), Corticotropin releasing hormon receptor 1 (CRHR1), serotonin receptor 1A and 2A, serotonin transporter (slc6a4), vasopressin