Outcomes of Kangaroo Mother Care in Preterm and Low Birth Weight Newborn Babies

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) in preterm and low birth weight newborn babies. This prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Paeds Medicine, People's University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Nawabshah, Pakistan, from March to December 2022. A total of 106 neonates were included. KMC was initiated right after stabilising the baby. Outcome measures were length of hospital stay, mortality, and morbidities (hypothermia, hyperthermia, hypoglycaemia, and sepsis). The average weight at birth was 2041.53 ± 145.41 grams. The mean gestational age at birth was 37.42 ± 29.02 weeks. The mean KMC duration was 13.91 ± 1.37 hours. The mean hospital stay was 10.20 ± 2.3 days. Mortality was 4.7%. Hypothermia was found in 7 (6.6%) patients, hyperthermia was found in 12 (11.3%) patients, sepsis was found in 6 (5.7%) patients, and hypoglycaemia was found in 7 (6.6%) patients. The KMC method played an important role in reducing the duration of hospital stay and decreasing the mortality rate in infants with low birth weight. Key Words: Kangaroo mother care, Preterm birth, Low birth weight, Newborns.