Mother Child Interaction, Preterm Infant, Very Low Birthweight Infants
Conditions
Keywords
reactivity of HPA axis
Brief summary
The first hours after birth are a sensitive period for promotion of optimal mother-child-interaction and secure attachment. Maternal sensitivity and responsivness are high in the first hours after birth due to high oxytocin levels. Developing optimal mother-child-interaction is more difficult for preterm mothers because mother and child are separated after birth and the preterm infant is not able to show strong signs to promote maternal sensitivity. We hypothesize that promoting skin-to-skin contact of VLBW infants and their mothers for 60 minutes within the first hours after birth improves mother-child-interaction at 5 to 6 months corrected age. We also hypothesize that reactivity of HPA axis and molecular patterns of stress signaling pathways differ in preterm infant with or without SSC after birth.
Interventions
PROCEDUREskin-to.skin-contact
Immediately after initial stabilization/ assessment of the VLBW infant, skin-to-skin contact of mother and infant is initiated and kept up for 60 minutes.
Sponsors
University of Cologne
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Minutes to 60 Minutes
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Birthweight \<1500g, first child, informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Multiples, malformation
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal sensitivity and responsiveness | 4 to 6 moinths corrected age | Maternal sensitivity and responsiveness are assessed with the Mannheimer Method for the analysis of mother child interaction. At the infants corrected age of 4 to 6 months a videotape of the mother changing the infants diapers and playing with the infant is used for analysis. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reactivity of HPA-axis | 36 to 40 weeks corrected age | Salivary cortisol assessment before and 20 minutes after heel lance |
| Molecular characterization of stress signaling pathways | 36 to 40 weeks corrected age | Genomic expression of the Glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), Corticotropin releasing hormon (CRH), Corticotropin releasing hormon receptor 1 (CRHR1), serotonin receptor 1A and 2A, serotonin transporter (slc6a4), vasopressin |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed