Arterial oxygen saturation and heart rate after birth in newborns with and without maternal bonding

The aim of this study was to determine and compare changes in arterial oxygen saturation (SpO₂ ) and heart rate (HR) in healthy term infants with and without maternal bonding.

This was a prospective observational study in healthy term infants. SpO₂ and HR were recorded from 1 to 10 min after birth. After this, SpO₂ and HR were registered at 15, 30 and 60 min and then at 12 and 24 h after birth. SpO₂ and HR were measured with a pulse oximeter.

A total of 216 healthy term infants were divided into three different groups: 136 (63%) born by vaginal delivery, 56 (26%) born by cesarean section with bonding, and 24 (11%) born by cesarean section without bonding. No difference in SpO₂ was found in babies born by cesarean section with or without maternal bonding. In neonates delivered vaginally, SpO₂ was significantly higher during the first 10 min after birth than in neonates born by cesarean section with bonding (P < 0.05). Compared with infants born by cesarean section without bonding, this tendency was not significant. In general, HR was similar across groups, although, for infants born by cesarean section, neonates who received bonding had lower HR from 6 to 8 min (P < 0.05).

In healthy term newborns, maternal bonding in infants born by cesarean section did not have effects on SpO₂ . Some differences were observed in HR between infants born by cesarean section with and without bonding.