Midwifery SupportNCT07656207
The Effect of Skin-to-skin Contact at Birth
A study testing Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (intervention group) in people with Midwifery Support and Skin to Skin Contact, run by Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
To determine the effects of skin-to-skin contact at birth on birth outcomes (placental delivery time, postpartum pain level, time of first breastfeeding, and breastfeeding motivation) and on postpartum parenting behavior. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Midwifery Support, Skin to Skin Contact, Parenthood Status
- What is being tested?
- Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (intervention group)
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 96 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- Jul 2026to Jun 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Vaginal delivery
- Primiparous pregnancy
- Delivery at 37 weeks or later
- Single, live fetus
- Not a high-risk pregnancy
- Not an individual with special needs
- Able to communicate
Who cannot join
- Women who Have a multiple pregnancy,
- Develop complications requiring emergency intervention in the mother or baby after delivery,
- Have their baby admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit after delivery,
- Have a cesarean section,
- Withdraw from the study will be excluded from the research.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Tarsus University
Toroslar, Mersin, 33000
tuğçe sönmez, 05541804484, tugcesonmez@tarsus.edu.tr
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Skin-to-skin Contact at Birth on Birth Outcomes and Parenting Behavior
To determine the effects of skin-to-skin contact at birth on birth outcomes (placental delivery time, postpartum pain level, time of first breastfeeding, and breastfeeding motivation) and on postpartum parenting behavior.
Read the detailed description
Skin-to-skin contact (STSC) involves placing the baby on the mother's chest for at least one hour during or immediately after birth. After birth, healthy, full-term babies who receive STSC will orient themselves toward their mother's breast and nipple and begin suckling within approximately one hour. This practice has many benefits for both mother and baby. Looking at the benefits for the mother, these include earlier placental separation, reduced postpartum bleeding, increased breastfeeding self-efficacy, and decreased stress levels in the mother. Furthermore, the rise in oxytocin levels in the mother within the first hour after birth promotes the development and strengthening of the bond between mother and baby. The benefits for the baby include a reduction in adverse outcomes associated with birth stress, effective thermoregulation, less and shorter crying, a decrease in the likelihood of apnea, less physiological weight loss, and less stress response to painful procedures. At the same time, it has been shown that SC reduces the rate of formula supplementation in hospitals, increases the initiation of breastfeeding and the level of exclusive breastfeeding, and leads to successful first breastfeeding and optimal suckling. The timing and duration of skin-to-skin contact (STSC) vary. In this study, skin-to-skin contact will be performed immediately after birth.
STSC at birth or immediately after birth: The newborn is placed face-to-face on the mother's abdomen or chest within the first minute after birth. If medically necessary, aspiration can be performed while the baby is on the mother's abdomen or chest, and the baby is thoroughly dried. To prevent heat loss, the baby's back is covered with a pre-warmed blanket and a hat is placed on the head. All other interventions on the newborn can be delayed until at least the end of the first hour after birth or the first successful breastfeeding.
Skin-to-skin contact between the mother and baby is noted as one of the most effective practices to support placental separation during the third stage of labor. This practice not only contributes to the baby's physiological adaptation but also strengthens the mother-baby bond. Skin-to-skin contact is reported to increase oxytocin release, helping the placenta separate more easily and quickly.
The first two hours after birth, when newborns are most sensitive to sensory cues such as their mother's warmth, touch, and smell, are considered the most appropriate time for initiating breastfeeding and establishing bonding. The aim of skin-to-skin contact is to initiate the first breastfeeding after birth as early as possible. This helps to initiate breastfeeding early, strengthening the emotional bond between mother and baby and contributing to a longer breastfeeding period. It is recommended that breastfeeding begin within the first half hour after birth through skin-to-skin contact.
Childbirth is a unique process that is perceived and experienced differently by each woman and is considered an important step in the transition to parenthood. Ensuring that this process occurs in line with the mother's expectations helps to make the postpartum period more peaceful and healthy. The baby, who is in constant physical contact with the mother during the intrauterine period, maintains continuity of communication by establishing contact with the mother after birth. Maintaining this contact in the postpartum period is an important requirement that supports the physical and psychological well-being of both the mother and the baby.
Skin-to-skin contact (STSC), as the first physical bond established between the mother and newborn immediately after birth, is a fundamental practice that brings many positive physiological and psychosocial effects. In this context, examining the effects of skin-to-skin contact during birth on both birth outcomes (such as placental separation time, postpartum pain, timing of first breastfeeding, and motivation) and parenting behaviors is of great importance for developing evidence-based approaches in birth care.
The findings obtained will contribute to midwifery practices in childbirth and postnatal care, thereby providing a basis for strengthening policies aimed at supporting maternal and newborn health.
- Conditions
- Midwifery Support, Skin to Skin Contact, Parenthood Status
- Being tested
- Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (intervention group)
- Keywords
- Skin to skin, pain, breastfeeding, parenthood, midwifery
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Breast Feeding
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (intervention group)Other
Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth: If the newborn requires no intervention, they will be immediately placed on the mother's chest (before cord clamping) and skin-to-skin contact will begin. Skin-to-skin contact will be maintained for approximately 60 minutes until the first breastfeeding occurs. All routine procedures performed in the delivery room for the newborn (except for weight measurement) will be performed while the newborn is on the mother's chest.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | No intervention | Mothers and newborns in the control group will not receive any procedures; they will undergo the hospital's routine procedures. |
| Immediate Skin-to-Skin Contact After Birth (intervention group) | Experimental | Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth: If the newborn requires no intervention, they will be immediately placed on the mother's chest (before cord clamping) and skin-to-skin contact will begin. Skin-to-skin contact will be maintained for approximately 60 minutes until the first breastfeeding occurs. All routine procedures performed in the delivery room for the newborn (except for weight measurement) will be performed while the newborn is on the mother's chest. Receives: Other: Immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth (intervention group) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Personal Information Form
The form prepared by the researchers consists of 14 questions about the mothers' socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric characteristics, and newborns.
Measured: baseline
Breastfeeding Motivation Scale
The Breastfeeding Motivation Scale, based on Self-Determination Theory, was developed by Peleg et al. (2015). It was adapted into Turkish by Şahin et al. in 2017, and a validity and reliability study was conducted. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the Turkish version consists of 23 items and five sub-factors for primiparous mothers, and 24 items and six sub-factors for multiparous mothers. According to the calculated Cronbach's alpha value, the Breastfeeding Motivation Scale is a highly reliable scale for both primiparous (Cronbach's alpha: 0.887) and multiparous (Cronbach's alpha: 0.914) mothers. The scale consists of 24 items and 5 sub-dimensions. The items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with each item receiving a score between 1 and 4. The total score of the scale is calculated by averaging the scores of the sub-dimensions. As the score obtained from a subscale increases, it is interpreted as an increase in the motivation represented by that subscale.
Measured: Periprocedural
VAS
The VAS (Visual Assessment Scale) is one of the most commonly used measurement tools for determining pain intensity. The VAS consists of a line drawn on a horizontal or vertical axis, 10 cm or 100 mm long. At one end of this line is the word "no pain," and at the other end is the word "unbearable pain." The distance from the lowest VAS value to the point marked by the pregnant woman is measured in cm or mm to determine the numerical value of the pain intensity. The evaluation is based on these markings. The VAS is considered a successful measurement tool for evaluating the effectiveness of pain relief methods (Demir, 2012; Carvalho \& Cohen, 2013).
Measured: Periprocedural
Postnatal Parenting Behavior Scale
The scale was developed by Britton et al. in 2001 to evaluate the behaviors exhibited by parents during their first interactions after birth (Britton et al., 2001). The Turkish adaptation, validity, and reliability study of the scale was conducted by Çalışır et al. (2009) (Çalışır et al., 2009).
This scale aims to evaluate the parenting behaviors of the mother or father during their first encounter with their baby immediately after birth through observation. In the six-item scale, the observer records whether the parent exhibits each behavior; behaviors performed are indicated with a "+" sign, and those not performed with a "-" sign. A score of "1" is given for each observed behavior, and a score of "0" for each unobserved behavior. Thus, the total score that can be obtained from the scale ranges from 0 to 6.
A high score indicates that the parent exhibits more positive and supportive parenting behaviors towards their baby.
Measured: Periprocedural
Skin-to-Skin Contact, Placental Separation, and Breastfeeding Process Tracking Form
This form was created by researchers. It is used to record information about when mothers started skin-to-skin contact, the duration of skin-to-skin contact, the time they started breastfeeding, the duration of breastfeeding, and the time it took for placental separation.
Measured: Periprocedural
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jun 2026
- Study startJul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Midwifery SupportStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 96 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Tugce Sonmez, Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University
- Investigators
- Serap Ejder Apay, Prof., Study chair, Ataturk UniversityMehtap Begüm Orak, Master's student, Study chair, Ataturk University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07656207
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Birthskincontact
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 18 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided