Physiology of stress and use of skin-to-skin care as a stress-reducing intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit

Critically ill infants often experience significant stress related to painful procedures and physical separation from their parents. In this article, I describe the physiologic mechanisms of the stress response and how this relates to mortality and morbidity in infants in the NICU. Skin-to-skin care (SSC) is a safe and effective intervention to counteract the stress of the NICU experience and optimize outcomes of care.

Authors: Britt Pados

Publication Information: Nursing for Women’s Health. 2019; 23(1): 59-70. doi: 10.1016/j.nwh.2018.11.002

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