Pediatrics · 2 h ago
Early skin-to-skin contact linked to breastfeeding at discharge in preterm infants
A Swedish register-based study of 9,914 infants born before 35 weeks found that skin-to-skin contact within 24 hours of birth was associated with higher odds of breastfeeding at discharge. The association varied by gestational age, with higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding among extremely preterm infants.
- Register study included 9,914 infants born before 35 weeks.
- Early contact was associated with more partial breastfeeding at discharge.
- Extremely preterm infants had higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding.
- Observational results do not establish causation.
Researchers analysed data from the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register for infants born before 35 weeks’ gestation between 2020 and 2024. The exposure was skin-to-skin contact within 24 hours after birth. Outcomes at discharge included breastfeeding at the breast and receipt of breast milk; adjusted odds ratios were estimated for the whole cohort and by gestational-age group.
Early skin-to-skin contact was associated with higher odds of partial breastfeeding at the breast at discharge (adjusted OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.32–1.64) and higher odds of receiving breast milk, either partially or exclusively. Among extremely preterm infants, contact was associated with higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding at the breast (adjusted OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.35–3.64).
The findings support an association between early contact and breastfeeding outcomes in this population, but the register-based observational design cannot establish that skin-to-skin contact caused the differences. The abstract does not report details of adjustment or potential residual confounding; the results also describe breastfeeding status at discharge, not longer-term outcomes.
In practice
In infants born before 35 weeks, skin-to-skin contact within 24 hours of birth was associated with higher odds of breastfeeding at discharge, including exclusive breastfeeding at the breast among extremely preterm infants. These findings may support attention to early skin-to-skin contact as part of neonatal care, but they do not establish a causal effect or demonstrate longer-term benefit. The register-based observational design leaves the possibility of confounding, and the abstract does not provide full details on adjustment or implementation.
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Acta Paediatrica: Early Skin‐To‐Skin Contact and Breastfeeding in Infants Born Before 35 Gestational Weeks: A Register Study ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.