title: Skin-to-skin contact after birth and the natural course of neurosteroid levels in healthy term newborns.
abstract: To determine the postnatal course of neurosteroid levels in relation to gender, mode of delivery and the extent of skin-to-skin (STS) contact during the first days of life in healthy term newborns.
  
  
  
  Prospective observational study of 39 neonates in which parents recorded total duration of STS in the first 2 days and nine neurosteroids (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, progesterone, pregnenolone, pregnenolone-sulfate, allopregnanolone, isopregnanolone, epipregnanolone, pregnanolone and pregnanolone-sulfate) were assayed from blood samples at birth and at 1-2 days of age.
  
  
  
  All nine neurosteroid levels declined significantly during the first 2 days of life. Gender did not significantly affect the change in neurosteroid levels. The decline in neurosteroid levels was generally more pronounced in vaginal deliveries, and there was a trend toward a larger decline with more exposure to STS.
  
  
  
  Ongoing studies may better characterize the role of neurosteroids and the influence of STS in more critically ill and premature neonates.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: McCallie
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Castillo Cuadrado
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Bhutani
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D047929:Term Birth / Q000097:blood*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents