Impact of Kangaroo mother care on the maintenance of temperature and weight gain of newly born low birth weight babies

Abstract

In preterm and LBW infants, skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her infant decreases maternal postpartum depressive symptoms and improves self-efficacy and mother-child bonding. However, evidence supporting it is lacking. To evaluate the impact of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on the maintenance of temperature and weight gain of newly born low birth weight babies. Fifty newborn babies weighing less than 1.8 kgs were studied at a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)from August 2013 to August 2014. An equal number of new-borns from the same setting, matched for weight and gestational age received routine care (warmer) and acted as controls. A special bag or kangaroo pouch was designed to keep the baby in close contact with the mother to provide KMC. Weight gain and temperature maintenance were studied. Maximum number of cases and control was 1-10 days old. A maximum number of cases and controls were babies between 1.251 to 1.800 kgs i.e. 70% and 72% respectively. In the KMC group, the majority (52%)had weight gain between 100-200gm, while in the control group 52% of subjects had weight gain between 0-100 gm. Maximum number of babies in KMC group (52%) gained 15.1-20gm/day vs 0-5 gm/day in controls (42%). 70% of the KMC group while 66% of the control group was discharged between 1.25-1.5 kg weight. The pre-intervention mean temperature in neonates of the case group was 35.99 ± 0.59 °F, while the post-intervention mean temperature in the case of group neonates was 37.01 ± 0.22 °F. Thus, the neonates in the case group had gained temperature after the intervention (p<0.001).The babies in the KMC group demonstrated more weight gain and temperature.