Kangaroo mother care and its physiological effects in low birth weight and preterm neonates

Abstract

Objectives: The present study was undertaken to study and compare anthropometry and physiological parameters in preterm and low birth weight infants during conventional care and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). Methods: This prospective case–control study was conducted in the department of pediatrics of a tertiary care hospital in central India from June 2016 to September 2017. Study on KMC was conducted on 200 newborns weighing <2.0 kg meeting study criteria with similar baseline characteristics. With minimum duration of 6 hrs/day where as controls given incubator and cot care. Parameters were studied until discharge criteria
were meet. The primary outcome variable was “weight gain and anthropometry” and secondary measures included breastfeeding and duration of hospitalization and physiological parameters. Results: KMC group showed a significant decrease in the duration of hospital stay (11.69±5.14 vs. 18.5±1.8 days) (p=0.0001) and better rate of breastfeeding (66% vs. 21%) as compared to control group. KMC group also shows higher weight gain (19.7±6.3 g/day) in comparison to control (11.4±3.3 g/day), (p=0.001). There was a mean increase of 0.7 cm/week in head circumference in KMC group and 0.4 cm/week in the control group (p=0.000). The mean increase in length was 0.89 cm/week in KMC group and 0.45 cm/week in control group (p=0.0001). The mean heart rate and respiratory rate were similar in both the groups (p=0.498 and p=0.555, respectively). The mean temperature difference was significant and shows that KMC group has a higher temperature of 0.4°F (p=0.001). In other physiological parameters, no episodes of apnea and hypoglycemia were present in KMC group as compared to 4 episode of hypoglycemia and 3 episodes of apnea in the control group. Conclusion: Newborns receiving KMC showed better growth parameters as compared to the routine care along with a better breastfeeding rate. Better thermal control and decreased episodes of hypoglycaemia & apnea in KMC group.