Effects of skin-to-skin contact on mental health outcomes in the parents of full-term newborns: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2025-01, Vol.369, p.1090-1098
• Main Authors: Mendoza-Aucaruri, Liz, López-Mesia, Jean Pierre, Ttito-Paricahua, Luis, Magallanes-Corimanya, Marlene, Asencios-Falcón, Evelyn M., Lopez-Gomero, Alicia, Fernandez-Guzman, Daniel, Taype-Rondan, Alvaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety - psychology; Depression; Depression - psychology; Depressive disorder; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Kangaroo-mother care method; Kangaroo-Mother Care Method - psychology; Mental Health; Parents - psychology; Psychological well-being; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sadness (source: MeSH NLM); Stress, Psychological - psychology
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.065

The postpartum period can be emotionally challenging for parents, with documented levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. While the benefits of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) are well-known, its impact on the mental health of parents of full-term newborns has been less studied. Objective: We aimed to assess the effects of SSC in mental health outcomes in the parents of full-term newborns. In this systematic review, a comprehensive search was conducted to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing SSC versus no SSC and assessing mental health outcomes. Meta-analyses were performed whenever possible, and the GRADE approach was used to rate the certainty of evidence. We included 9 RCTs with 1201 participants. Regarding the risk of bias, the most affected domains were selective reporting, blinding, and allocation concealment. Regarding parental anxiety, SSC may reduce it at short-term, while it is unsure its effect at mid-term and it may not have any effect at long-term. Regarding Psychological stress, SSC may not have an impact at mid- and long-term. Regarding delivery-related post-traumatic stress symptoms, SSC may not have an impact at short-, mid-, and long-term. Regarding depressive symptoms, the evidence is uncertain at short- and mid-term. For the assessed outcomes, certainty of the evidence was low or very low. SSC may reduce parental anxiety at short-term, while it may not have an impact in psychological stress and delivery-related post-traumatic stress symptoms. Moreover, the evidence is uncertain regarding its effect in long-term anxiety and depressive symptoms. •This review included studies on the impact of skin-to-skin contact on mental health in parents after full-term pregnancies•The skin-to-skin contact may reduce parental anxiety at short-term•The skin-to-skin contact may not have an impact in psychological stress and delivery-related post-traumatic stress symptoms•The evidence is uncertain regarding the effect of skin-to-skin contact in long-term anxiety and depressive symptoms