Abstract
BACKGROUND: The rate of cesarean section is increasing from 15% to 40% in recent years. The type of delivery influences the hormonal, emotional and mental health of the mother, which correlates positively or negatively with the health benefits of the newborn. There have been many published studies on kangaroo mother care for mothers undergoing elective cesarean section, but there is still a lack of understanding about emergency cesarean section. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of KMC practice for mothers undergoing emergency cesarean section in terms of hormone levels such as oxytocin, cortisol, prolactin, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10. METHODS: This retrospective analysis used remnant serum (KMC group = 16; control group = 9), and clinical data such as KMC practice (15-30 minutes three or four times daily until discharge), breastfeeding initiation time, feeding time, crying time and hospital stay were extracted from the electronic database. All hormone and cytokine expressions were quantitatively determined by ELISA. Comparisons within and between groups were performed using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: In the KMC group, increased levels of the hormone oxytocin significantly reduced cortisol and IL-6 and negatively influenced prolactin and IL-10 levels. The elevated prolactin facilitates overall lactation behaviour, of which 64% reported breastfeeding directly at the breast. The cytokine analysis revealed a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and thereby an improved wound healing was seen in the KMC group. CONCLUSION: These quantitative results strongly encourage the use of KMC for mothers undergoing emergency cesarean section. These simple yet effective breastfeeding strategies promote maternal and infant health, which can reduce medication use.