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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Feb 19:14:12.
doi: 10.1186/s13006-019-0206-0. eCollection 2019.

The effects of kangaroo mother care on the time to breastfeeding initiation among preterm and LBW infants: a meta-analysis of published studies

Alemayehu Gonie Mekonnen  1 , Sisay Shewasinad Yehualashet  1 , Alebachew Demelash Bayleyegn  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The effects of kangaroo mother care on the time to breastfeeding initiation among preterm and LBW infants: a meta-analysis of published studies

Alemayehu Gonie Mekonnen et al. Int Breastfeed J. .

Abstract

Background: Kangaroo mother care is a comprehensive intervention given for all newborns especially for premature and low birthweight infants. It is the most feasible and preferred intervention for decreasing neonatal morbidity and mortality. Even though time to initiating breastfeeding has been examined by randomized controlled trials, varying findings have been reported. Therefore, the main objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled mean time to initiate breastfeeding among preterm and low birthweight infants.

Methods: The authors searched for randomized controlled trial studies conducted on the effects of kangaroo mother care on the time to breastfeeding initiation among preterm and low birthweight infants. Published articles were identified through a computerized search of electronic databases that includes MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and CENTRAL. The search terms were kangaroo mother care or (skin to skin), or conventional care, newborns, preterm infants, low birthweight infants and randomized controlled trial. A total of 467 eligible titles were identified and eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The extracted data were entered and analyzed using Cochrane Review Manager-5-3 software. Heterogeneity across studies was evaluated by Chi2 test and inconsistency index (I2). Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot. The random effect model was applied to estimate the pooled mean time to initiate breastfeeding with 95% confidence interval.

Results: In this meta-analysis, the overall pooled mean time to initiate breastfeeding was 2.6 days (95% CI 1.23, 3.96). Preterm and low birthweight infants receiving kangaroo mother care intervention initiated breastfeeding 2 days 14 h 24 min earlier than conventional care of radiant warmer/incubator method.

Conclusions: Kangaroo mother care promotes early initiation of breastfeeding as compared to conventional care method. Therefore, health facilities need to implement the kangaroo mother care for preterm and low birthweight infants.

Keywords: Initiation of breastfeeding; Kangaroo mother care; Preterm and LBW infants.

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Conflict of interest statement

Not applicable.Not applicable.The authors declared that they have no any competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow-diagram that depicts the phases of study selection
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Funnel plot showing publication bias (inverted symmetrical funnel plot)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot of pooled mean time difference to initiate exclusive breastfeeding among preterm and LBW infants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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