Neonatal maternal separation (MS) is known to impact behavioral and neuroendocrine reactions in the offspring.

A new study published in Environmental Research and Public Health investigated the vital importance of contact and touch by exploring how skin-to-skin contact (SSC) regulates stress in the mother-infant relationship.

This was a literature review conducted through searched from various databases – PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. Articles published from 2015-2020 were selected.

Overall, 22 articles were included. The findings revealed that SSC regulates child stress via modulating the biological indicators, such as the autonomic nervous system (ANS), heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol and oxytocin. 

In inference, the importance of SSC for stress regulation was emphasized, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was recommended that SSC should continue to be practiced for all women, as per the World heal Organization (WHO) directive, as it does not seem to impose a possible risk of neonatal COVID-19 transmission to the newborn.

Source: Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021, 18(9), 4695. Doi: 10.3390/ijerph18094695