Effects of Immediate Skin-to-Skin Contact on Maternal and Neonatal Physiological Outcomes after Cesarean delivery

Context: Skin-to-Skin Contact (SSC) immediately after cesarean section uncommon in Egypt. It is anticipated that this type of care is a successful approach for both maternal and neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of immediate skin to skin contact on maternal and neonatal physiological outcomes after cesarean delivery. Methods: A Quasi-experimental design was utilized at the operative delivery and postpartum unit at El-kasr El-Ainy and El -Manial university hospitals, Egypt. A purposive sample of 100 primiparous women who underwent elective CS and their newborns (100) were included and divided into study and control groups. Six tools were used to collect data of this study, 1) characteristics of the studied mothers. 2) Newborns' medical records, 3) Infant breastfeeding assessment tool, 4) Successful breastfeeding assessment tool, 5) Maternal satisfaction self-report questionnaire and 6) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: 96% of neonates in the study group manifested no signs of hypothermia compared to 58% of the control group. There was highly statistical significant differences between both groups regarding the total mean pain score after 6 hrs. from cesarean delivery. Also, regarding total mean score of successful breastfeeding (11.68 ± 2.19 & 9.62 ± 2.41) in the study and control group respectively. Conclusion: the present study concluded that implementation of an immediate skin to skin contact after cesarean delivery had a significant effect on maternal and newborn physiological outcomes. Recommendations. Skin to skin contact nursing intervention should be importantly applied in all maternity units in each hospital immediately after cesarean deliveries for its great benefits.