Inpatient Skin-to-skin Care Predicts 12-Month Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the relationship between inpatient skin-to-skin care rates and neurodevelopmental scores measured at 12 months in very preterm (VPT) infants.

Study design

From a retrospective review of medical records of 181 VPT infants (<32 weeks gestational age [GA] at birth), we derived skin-to-skin care rate, ie, total minutes of skin-to-skin care each infant received over the number of days of hospital stay. We used scores on the Capute Scales from routine follow-up assessments at 12 months to measure neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Results

Families averaged approximately 17 minutes/day of skin-to-skin care (2 days/week, 70 minutes/session), although there was substantial variability. Variation in skin-to-skin rate was positively associated with outcomes at 12 

SUBMITTER: Lazarus MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11514444 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature