Effects of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact on postpartum depression: A systematic review.

Purpose The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of the skin-to-skin contact (SSC) method on postpartum depression. Design and methods A systematic review of the literature was performed. Findings This review was completed with three studies meeting the research criteria. Two studies were randomized controlled studies and one study had a quasi-experimental design. Practice implications SSC is such a low-cost intervention that it would be accessible, simple, and feasible for most mothers in the first postpartum weeks. By reducing mothers' depressive symptoms and physiological stress, SSC facilitates mothers' wellbeing and ultimately affects infants' development by enhancing the mother/infant relationship.