The Effect of Skin-to-Skin Contact Applied in the Early Postpartum Period on Maternal Pain, Birth Satisfaction, and Maternal Vital Signs Dynamics

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Maternal Vital Signs; Birth Satisfaction; Skin-to-skin Contact

Treatments: Procedure: A solid hour of skin-to-skin contact

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07304037

2025/332

Details and patient eligibility

About

Skin-to-skin contact (STSC) initiated within the first hour after birth is a fundamental practice that supports both the mother's and the newborn's physiological and psychological adaptation (Çelik & Kök, 2022). The World Health Organization recommends at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted SKC immediately after birth and defines this practice as a mandatory component of care under the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (World Health Organization, 2024; Abdulghani et al., 2018; Sharma, 2016). The positive effects of TTT on maintaining the newborn's temperature, glucose regulation, physiological stability, and mother-infant bonding have been proven (Sezici & Yiğit, 2020; Safar et al., 2018). In addition, it has been reported that it can shorten the third stage of labor by increasing maternal oxytocin release and reduce maternal stress and anxiety (Püsküllüoğlu et al., 2022; Harati Kabir et al., 2024).

In the study, mothers in the intervention group will receive one hour of uninterrupted TTT immediately after delivery; routine midwifery care will continue in the control group. In both groups, maternal pain levels, birth satisfaction, and vital signs (body temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure) will be assessed immediately after delivery, and at 30, 60, and 90 minutes.

The sample size was calculated using GPower, and a total of 68 participants (34 in each group) will be included in the study. Inclusion criteria include women aged 18 years or older who have had a full-term vaginal delivery and have a single, uncomplicated pregnancy. The data collection tools used will be the Demographic Information Form and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

The findings of the study are expected to enhance the quality of midwifery care by supporting the integration of TTT into clinical practice in early postpartum care.

Full description

H1: There is a difference in pain scores measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) between the group that received uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact for one hour after birth and the control group immediately after birth, at 30, 60, and 90 minutes.

H1: There is a difference in birth satisfaction scores measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) between the group that received uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact for one hour after birth and the control group immediately after birth, at 30, 60, and 90 minutes.

H1: There is a difference between the group that received uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact for one hour after birth and the control group in terms of maternal body temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure measurements taken immediately after birth and at 30, 60, and 90 minutes.

Enrollment: 68 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Voluntarily agree to participate in the study
• Be able to read, understand, and write in Turkish
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have given birth vaginally
• Have given birth to a single baby
• Be at term (between 38-42 weeks of gestation)
• Have given birth vaginally in vertex presentation
• Estimated fetal weight between 2500-4000 grams
• Not having received any analgesia or anesthesia to relieve pain and fatigue during labor
• Having a pregnancy without maternal or fetal complications

Exclusion criteria

• Multiple pregnancies
• High-risk pregnancies with complications

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

---

68 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental Group

Experimental group

Description:

Immediately after birth, skin-to-skin contact is maintained continuously for one hour. Pain levels, birth satisfaction levels, and maternal vital signs (body temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure) are assessed at 30, 60, and 90 minutes postpartum.

Treatment:

Procedure: A solid hour of skin-to-skin contact

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Following delivery, routine midwifery care is provided, and immediately after birth, at 30, 60, and 90 minutes, pain levels, satisfaction with the birth, and maternal physiological findings (body temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure) are assessed.