Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable

Skin-to-skin Contact During the Transfer From the Delivery Room to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Impact on Very Preterm Infants and Their Parents

France118 participantsStarted 2023-05-03

Plain-language summary

Developmental care are recognized as a standard of care for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units. Regular skin-to skin contacts during the neonatal stay show short and long-term beneficial effects on preterm infants and their parents. Skin-to-skin contact provides hemodynamic and thermal stability in preterm infants. Regarding parents, skin-to-skin contact sustains the parental bonding, and reduces stress and anxiety related to hospitalization. As a result, early skin-to-skin contact has been associated with an improvement of neurological outcome in very preterm infants. Thermal stability is crucial during the first hour of life in preterm infants. A temperature at admission in the neonatal intensive care unit below 36.5°C or above 37.2°C has been associated with an increase in neonatal morbidity and mortality. Early skin-to-skin contact between a newborn and his/her mother in the delivery room significantly decreases the occurrence of hypothermia below 35.5°C. The practice of skin-to-skin transfer from the delivery room is emerging in France. Pilot studies have been carried out by French neonatal teams that showed the feasibility of this practice in late-preterm, near-term and term infants. Although skin-to-skin contact routinely involves very preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units worldwide, the feasibility and safety of skin-to-skin contact during the transfer from delivery room to the neonatal unit is poorly documented in very preterm infants. Previous data of our team showed that transfer of preterm infants with non-invasive ventilation using skin-to-skin contact was feasible and safe but concerns emerged about the thermal conservation during the procedure. The main hypothesis of this study is that skin-to skin contact during the transfer from the delivery room to the neonatal intensive care unit could prevent heat losses in preterm infants as well as the transfer in incubator. Another hypothesis is that very early skin-to-skin contact could positively influence the neonatal course and the parental experience in the neonatal care unit.

Who can participate

Age range

24 Weeks – 34 Weeks

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Gestational age \< 34 weeks * Singleton pregnancy * Inborn birth, i.e., in the maternity ward of investigating centres * Need of hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit * Oral and written information of parents and written parental consent to participate in the study (by the father if the mother is unable to participate) Exclusion Criteria: * Single parent or homosexual couple * Absence of the father in the delivery room * Parents not speaking French * Skin temperature of the newborn \< 36°C at the time of randomization * Conditions not allowing the early skin-to-skin contact: omphalocele, gastroschisis, desquamating dermatological conditions (Harlequin syndrome, Collodion) * Clinical condition requiring a specific transfer mode according to the pediatrician in the delivery room * Parents under legal protection * Minor parents

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change in the infant skin temperature due to the transfer procedure

Timeframe: During the transfer procedure

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05820386

SponsorUniversity Hospital, Tours

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-03-10

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