Oxygenation, heart rate and temperature in very low birthweight infants during skin-to-skin contact with their mothers

Abstract

Fourteen very low birthweight infants were studied positioned either prone horizontal or skin-to-skin at 60 degree tilt between the mother's breasts. Heart rate, skin temperature and oxygenation by transcutaneous PO2 and pulse oximetry were measured. Nine of the infants had normal lungs when studied. These infants showed no change in tcPO2 or oxygen saturation but heart rate increased significantly by a mean of 6.5 beats per min during skin-to-skin contact. Five infants with chronic lung disease, including two on nasal catheter oxygen, showed a significant 1.0 kPa rise in tcPO2 during skin-to-skin contact. Back skin temperature was well maintained during skin-to-skin contact with the room temperature at 26 to 29 degrees C. None of the infants had a significant apnoea or bradycardia during the study. Stable very low birthweight infants can enjoy such close contact with their mothers and the tilted position may improve pulmonary function in some cases.