Tawfiq Essa, Stanikzai Muhammad Haroon, Jafari Massoma, Tareen Zarghoon, Alawi Sayed Ali Shah, Ezadi Zainab, Wasiq Abdul Wahed, Dadras Omid
The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kandahar University, Kandahar, Afghanistan.
PLoS One. 2025 May 21;20(5):e0324758. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324758. eCollection 2025.
Mother-newborn skin-to-skin contact (SSC) involves placing the naked infant on the mother's bare chest within the first hour of birth and is crucial for thermoregulation, bonding, breastfeeding initiation, and promoting neonatal health. This study examined the prevalence, and factors associated with SSC in Afghanistan.
Data from the Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2022-23 were used and analysed from ever-married women, aged 15-49 years, who delivered a live infant in the past 2 years. The outcome was SSC, placing the naked infant on the mother's bare chest and initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. Adjusted odds ratios [AOR: (95%CI)] of factors associated with SSC were obtained by a logistic regression model.
Of 11,992 women, 32.9% practiced SSC. The likelihood of SSC was greater in women with primary [1.38 (1.14-1.68)] and secondary or higher [1.29 (1.06-1.57)] education, in women who had access to media [1.36 (1.11-1.65)], and those who owned mobile phones [1.27 (1.11-1.45)]. The likelihood of SSC was lower in women who delivered at home [0.26 (0.21-0.33)], those who delivered at private clinics or hospitals [0.50 (0.41-0.61)], and those with cesarean section [0.12 (0.08-0.17)]. Women living in rural areas, and women with deliveries conducted by traditional birth attendants/community healthcare workers and by relatives/others had lower odds of SSC [0.76 (0.63-0.92), 0.37 (0.27-0.53), 0.45 (0.33-0.59), respectively].
The low prevalence of SSC in Afghanistan highlights the need for targeted health interventions. Efforts should focus on improving access to public clinics and hospitals, enhancing education, training of healthcare providers, and leveraging media and mobile phone access to promote SSC. Interventions should prioritize rural women and women who have undergone cesarean sections to increase SSC rates and improve neonatal health outcomes.
母婴皮肤接触（SSC）是指在婴儿出生后的第一小时内，将裸体婴儿放在母亲裸露的胸部，这对体温调节、母婴联结、开始母乳喂养以及促进新生儿健康至关重要。本研究调查了阿富汗母婴皮肤接触的普及率及其相关因素。
使用并分析了2022 - 2023年阿富汗多指标类集调查（MICS）的数据，研究对象为年龄在15 - 49岁、在过去两年内生育过活产婴儿的已婚妇女。研究结果为母婴皮肤接触，即在婴儿出生后的第一小时内将裸体婴儿放在母亲裸露的胸部并开始母乳喂养。通过逻辑回归模型得出母婴皮肤接触相关因素的调整比值比[AOR: (95%CI)]。
在11992名妇女中，32.9%的人进行了母婴皮肤接触。接受过小学教育[1.38 (1.14 - 1.68)]、中学或更高教育[1.29 (1.06 - 1.57)]的妇女，能够接触媒体的妇女[1.36 (1.11 - 1.65)]，以及拥有手机的妇女[1.27 (1.11 - 1.45)]进行母婴皮肤接触的可能性更大。在家分娩的妇女[0.26 (0.21 - 0.33)]、在私立诊所或医院分娩的妇女[0.50 (0.41 - 0.61)]以及剖宫产的妇女[0.12 (0.08 - 0.17)]进行母婴皮肤接触的可能性较低。生活在农村地区的妇女，以及由传统助产士/社区医护人员和亲属/其他人接生的妇女进行母婴皮肤接触的几率较低[分别为0.76 (0.63 - 0.92)、0.37 (0.27 - 0.53)、0.45 (0.33 - 0.59)]。
阿富汗母婴皮肤接触的普及率较低，这凸显了有针对性的健康干预措施的必要性。应努力改善公立诊所和医院的可及性，加强教育，培训医护人员，并利用媒体和手机的普及来促进母婴皮肤接触。干预措施应优先考虑农村妇女和剖宫产妇女，以提高母婴皮肤接触率并改善新生儿健康结局。
