Parental oxytocin responses during skin-to-skin contact in pre-term infants
Abstract
Objective Maternal skin-to-skin contact (M-SSC) has been found to reduce adverse consequences of prematurity, however, its neurobiological mechanisms have been unknown. The purpose of the study was to examine oxytocin mechanism in modulating parental stress and anxiety during M-SSC and P-SSC (paternal SSC) with their pre-term infants. Methods Twenty-eight stable pre-term infants and their parents (triads) were recruited in a 2-day cross-over study and 26 mothers and 19 fathers completed the study protocol. Each triad was randomly assigned to one of the two sequences: M-SSC was conducted on day-1 and P-SSC on day-2; and P-SSC on day-1 and M-SSC on day-2. Parents' saliva samples for oxytocin and cortisol assays and visual analog anxiety levels were collected pre-SSC, 30-min during-SSC, and 30-min post-SSC. Results Both maternal and paternal oxytocin levels were significantly increased during-SSC from baseline. Maternal oxytocin dropped post-M-SSC, but paternal oxytocin continued to be maintained at a higher level during post-P-SSC. Both maternal and paternal cortisol levels significantly decreased during-SSC from baseline. Maternal cortisol continuously dropped post-M-SSC, but paternal cortisol increased post-P-SSC. Both mothers' and fathers' anxiety levels decreased during-SSC from baseline, and then increased post-SSC. Mother-father dyads also showed correlated or synchronized stress and anxiety responses in the NICU. Conclusion M-SSC and P-SSC activated the oxytocin release…
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Skin-to-skin contact immediately following birth promoted greater oxytocin levels in fathers as well, demonstrating a possible biological mechanism for healthy parent-infant attachment.
“Skin-to-skin contact immediately following birth promoted greater oxytocin levels in fathers as well (Cong et al., 2015) demonstrating a possible biological mechanism for healthy parent-infant attachment (Levine et al., 2007).”
From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Cong et al. (2015)
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“However, the function of the oxytocinergic system has been recently found to play a key role in attachment bond formation and parenting across all mammalian species in both females and males [6].”
BackgroundPreliminary evidence that plasma oxytocin levels are elevated in major depression
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Zhao, X.-H., & Zhang, Z.-H. (2020) · Asian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102353 · Cited by 357 · see citing works
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“Skin-to-skin contact immediately following birth promoted greater oxytocin levels in fathers as well (Cong et al., 2015) demonstrating a possible biological mechanism for healthy parent-infant attachment (Levine et al.”
Background
- Authors
- Cong, X., Ludington-Hoe, S. M., Hussain, N., Cusson, R. M., Walsh, S., Vazquez, V., Briere, C.-E., & Vittner, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Connecticut (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cong, Xiaomei
- ORCID
- Venue
- Early Human Development
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-07
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 401-406
- ISSN
- 0378-3782 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1485369738
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 15.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Early Human Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- American Nurses Foundation
- University of Connecticut School of Nursing Toner Fund
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
- Keywords
- skin-to-skin contact, preterm infants, oxytocin, cortisol, parental stress, parental anxiety, father-infant interaction, mother-infant interaction, neonatal intensive care unit, neurobiological mechanisms
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Fathers, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Male, Mothers, Oxytocin, Saliva, Parenting, Cross-Over Studies, Kangaroo-Mother Care Method
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