Cortisol and blood pressure levels decreased in fathers during the first hour of skin‐to‐skin contact with their premature babies

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 107; no. 4; pp. 628 - 632
• Main Authors: Varela, Natalia, Tessier, Réjean, Tarabulsy, George, Pierce, Tamarha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norway Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Birth; Blood pressure; Contact stresses; Cortisol; Data processing; Father; Hormones; Neonates; Physiological stress; Physiology; Premature baby; Premature birth; Skin; Skin‐to‐skin contact; Stress; Stress (physiology); Stress response; Skin-to-skin contact; Cortisol; Father; Premature baby; Physiological stress
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/apa.14184

Aim Premature birth is an extremely stressful experience. In 2013 to 2014, we explored the physiological stress responses of fathers during their first skin‐to‐skin contact (SSC) with their new baby. Methods We recruited 49 fathers whose partners had given birth to a premature baby of up to 33 weeks and three days. The study, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a Quebec hospital, measured the physiological stress responses of the fathers before and after they first experienced SSC with their new baby. Cortisol levels and blood pressure were measured, and a generalised estimating equation was used for the data analysis. Results The fathers’ cortisol levels decreased from 10.55 nmol/L, with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 9.61–11.59 at the beginning of the experiment to 8.26 nmol/L (95% CI: 7.51–9.07) after 75 minutes. Meanwhile, their systolic blood pressure decreased from 135.16 mmHg (95% CI: 130–140) to 125.25 mmHg (95% CI: 121–129). Conclusion Fathers who held their baby in SSC for the first time showed a significant reduction in physiological stress responses. Our findings support hospital practices that enable fathers to experience their first intimate contact with their newborn infant in the NICU.