Study: Early Skin-to-Skin Contact Doesn’t Improve Brain Development in Preemies, but Aids Bonding
A major new study from Trondheim University Hospital in Norway has found that immediate skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after birth does not improve cognitive, motor, or language development in very preterm infants by age 2 to 3.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes were nearly identical between babies placed skin-to-skin and those given standard care in an incubator, according to results published in JAMA Network Open.
- Mean cognitive scores: 99.6 (SSC) vs. 99.4 (control)
- No difference in rates of developmental delays
But the benefits of SSC were still significant:
✅ 84% of SSC babies were breastfed at discharge vs. 67% in standard care
✅ Breastfeeding rates remained higher at 12 months (44% vs. 26%)
✅ No increase in complications or adverse effects
✅ Clinically meaningful boost in parent-infant bonding
Researchers concluded that while SSC may not change developmental trajectories, it strengthens emotional bonds and supports breastfeeding success, two outcomes that matter deeply in early care for vulnerable infants.
