Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Skin-to-skin care alters regional ventilation in stable neonates
Nicholas F Schinckel1,2, Leah Hickey3,2,4, Elizabeth J Perkins3
1Neonatal Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia nick.schinckel@mcri.edu.au.
Objective:
Skin-to-skin care (SSC) has proven psychological benefits; however, the physiological effects are less clearly defined. Regional ventilation patterns during SSC have not previously been reported. This study aimed to compare regional ventilation indices and other cardiorespiratory parameters during prone SSC with supine and prone position cot-nursing.
Design:
Prospective observational study.
Setting:
Single quaternary neonatal intensive care unit in Australia.
Patients:
20 infants spontaneously breathing (n=17) or on non-invasive ventilation (n=3), with mean (SD) gestational age at birth of 33 (5) weeks.
Interventions:
Thirty-minute episodes of care in each position: supine cot care, prone SSC and prone cot care preceding a 10 min period of continuous electrical impedance tomography measurements of regional ventilation.
Main Outcome Measures:
In each position, ventral-dorsal and right-left centre of ventilation (CoV), percentage of whole lung ventilation by region and percentage of apparent unventilated lung regions were determined. Heart and respiratory rates, oxygen saturation and axillary temperature were also measured.
Results:
Heart and respiratory rates, oxygen saturation, temperature and right-left lung ventilation did not differ between the three positions (mixed-effects model). Ventilation generally favoured the dorsal lung, but the mean (95% CI) ventrodorsal CoV was -2.0 (-0.4 to -3.6)% more dorsal during SSC compared with prone. Supine position resulted in 5.0 (1.5 to 5.3)% and 4.5 (3.9 to 5.1)% less apparently unventilated lung regions compared with SSC and prone, respectively.
Conclusions:
In clinically stable infants, SSC generates a distinct regional ventilation pattern that is independent of prone position and results in greater distribution of ventilation towards the dorsal lung.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
01:30Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
01:29Assessment of Ventilation II: Respiratory Depth and Rhythm
Respiratory depth measures the volume of air inhaled or exhaled during a breath. It can vary from shallow to deep and typically remains consistent when a person is at rest or asleep. Occasionally, individuals will automatically inhale deeply, known as sighing, which inflates the lungs with more air than normal breathing.
To assess respiratory depth, observe the degree of chest excursion or movement:
01:14Fetal Circulation
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
01:23Mechanical Ventilation III: Noninvasive Ventilation
Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation...
01:23Physiological Control of Respiration
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...