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. 2018 Mar 8:2018:2845352.
doi: 10.1155/2018/2845352. eCollection 2018.

Rooming-in Reduces Salivary Cortisol Level of Newborn

Giuseppe De Bernardo  1 , Marina Riccitelli  2 , Maurizio Giordano  1 , Fabrizio Proietti  2 , Desiree Sordino  3 , Mariangela Longini  2 , Giuseppe Buonocore  2 , Serafina Perrone  2
Affiliations

Rooming-in Reduces Salivary Cortisol Level of Newborn

Giuseppe De Bernardo et al. Mediators Inflamm. .

Abstract

Background: Rooming-in practice improves breastfeeding and reduces newborn stress reactivity. When this modality is not available, partial rooming-in after birth can be considered. Salivary cortisol levels (SCLs) are considered reliable biomarkers to indicate stress.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that rooming-in duration impacts neonatal stress response in hospitalized newborns.

Design/methods: Forty term newborns, enrolled in the Neonatology and Obstetrics Nursing, C.G. Ruesch, Naples, Italy, were divided, according to the mother's choice, into the study (SG; n = 20) and control (CG; n = 20) groups if they received full (24 hs) or partial (14 hs) rooming-in care, respectively. Saliva samples were collected from all babies between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. of the 3rd day of life by using oral swab. Salivary cortisol levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay kit (Salimetrics LLC, PA, USA).

Results: A statistically significant difference in the SCLs between SG and CG was found (median: 258 ng/dl versus 488.5 ng/dl; p = 0.048).

Conclusions: Data support the practice of full rooming-in care compared with partial rooming-in. The rooming-in duration clearly reduces SCLs and likely neonatal stress. These lower SCLs may have long-term positive effects reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and cognitive and behavioural changes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Salivar cortisol levels in the study group and the control group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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