Benefits of early maternal participation in care of low birth weight infants leading to early discharge.

Abstract

The morbidity and mortality of low birth weight infants in Andhra Pradesh India is examined. After discharge from Special Care Nurseries these infants survival depends largely upon the mothers ability to feed and care for them. This ability is impaired when the infants hospital stay is prolonged for the purposes of gaining weight and is undermined by frequent bouts of infection overcrowding understaffing a disturbed mother-child relationship and the subsequent failure of breastfeeding. Mothers are encouraged to participate in the care and feeding of the infants as soon as possible. Once breastfeeding has been successfully established infants are discharged irrespective of body weight. Out patient follow up is conducted to insure that infants are able to maintain normal temperature and are not subject to infection. This study is an analysis of the progress and outcome of such infants discharged over the period of 1 year 1976. The mean weight on discharge was 1580 gm with a range of 1100 to 1800 gm. Results revealed that 82% came for follow up out of which 53% were doing well and gaining weight rapidly while 38% fared moderately. Only 9% did poorly requiring readmission with a 5% mortality rate. The significant factor determining a favorable outcome was the ability of the mother to breastfeed her infant. (authors modified)