To study the short-term outcome of kangaroo mother care in newborn with birth weight less than 1.5 kg

Abstract

Introduction: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an effective way to meet babies need for warmth, breastfeeding, and protection from infection, stimulation, safety, and love in resource-limited settings. Objective: To assess the effect of KMC on newborns weighing <1.5 kg on weight gain, duration of stay in hospital, and breastfeeding. Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of central India over 11-month period. A total of 70 newborns weighing <1.5 kg were included (35 each cases and controls) and were evaluated for short-term outcome of KMC on weight gain, breastfeeding, and duration of stay in hospital. Results: Mean daily weight gain was more in KMC group (16.94±3.84 vs. 4.29±6.94 g) (p<0.05). Mean weight at the time of discharge was more in KMC group (1.46±0.64 vs. 1.34±0.11 kg) (p>0.05). Breastfeeding was established 68.5% of babies in KMC group and in 34.2% in control group on discharge (p<0.05). The study showed that babies in KMC group were discharged earlier than controls (11.4±4.3 vs. 17.68±8.64 days) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study showed that babies in KMC group demonstrated more weight gain, both daily and on discharge. Duration of stay was shorter in them and more babies were shifted to breastfeeding earlier in KMC group. We conclude KMC as significant method of caring very low birth weight baby in resource-limited settings.