1. Objectifs

Intentions :
The objective of this study is «to observe and measure the fathers’ physiological stress responses, namely cortisol levels and blood pressure, before, during and after their first experience of SSC [skin-to-skin contact].» (p. 630)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Families were recruited in the NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] of the Universite Laval Hospital Centre’s pediatric department in Quebec City. We recruited fathers whose partners had given birth to a premature baby of up to 33 weeks and three days, and the other inclusion criteria were that the baby was medically stable on the day of the SSC experiment and that the fathers were currently in a relationship with the infant’s mother. [...] A total of 173 preterm infants were identified at birth as potential study subjects. [...] The remaining 49 dyads formed the study cohort.» (p. 629)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«The results confirmed a significant decrease in cortisol levels and blood pressure during and after SSC. Blood pressure readings decreased from arrival in the room where SCC took place until the end of the experiment, that lasted one hour. Furthermore, the cortisol response increased from arrival in the room until the start of the experiment 15–30 minutes later then decreased continuously until the end of the session. [Authors] believe that this delay between the arrival in the room was the consequence of the stressful anticipation experienced by fathers, as it would be the first time they held their premature baby.» (p. 630) Moreover, this «significant reduction in physiological stress could be explained by the psychological effects of the intimate contact between the father and baby when they were close together in SSC for the first time. To develop this idea, it is important to first recall that fathers of premature babies are usually exposed to a very high level of stress in the NICU [...], which is associated with the loss of the parenting role [...]. The results of the present study highlight the potential for SSC to be used as an intervention for child survival and also an intervention to reduce stress in parents in the NICU.» (p. 631)