The Effects of Skin-to-Skin Care on Late Preterm and Term Infants At-Risk for Neonatal Hypoglycemia

Abstract

Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia (NH) is a common disorder affecting 5 to 15% of otherwise healthy infants, such as late preterm, small or large for gestational age, or born to mothers with diabetes. Early management of NH in these at-risk infants is often achieved with administration of formula and/or intravenous (IV) dextrose, which may potentially impair normal metabolic adaptation. Multiple studies have demonstrated that early infant skin-to-skin contact with …