A STUDY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF KANGAROO MOTHER CARE IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS .

Abstract

INTRODUCTION :-Kangaroo mother care is a evidence based cost effective approach and avert up to 4.5lk preterm .(1,2) death each year .if near universal coverage is achieve investment in KMC has benets beyond survival including healthy growth and long term development. Edgar Rey and Hectare Martinez develop kangaroo mother care in Colombia as a substitute for incubator in the low birth weight infant . KMC is dene as early prolong and continuous skin to skin contact between the mother and the low birth 5 weight infant both in hospital and after discharge with exclusive breast feeding and proper follow up. Published nding from different countries demonstrated KMC promote stable heart rate R.R and oxygen saturation and thermal regulation in infants 6-13. The present OBJECTIVE :- study was conducted to study through a randomized control trial the effect of KMC on breastfeeding, weight gain and length of hospitalizations 2. of very low birth weight neonates and To access the acceptability of KMC by nurses and mother . METHODS :-Babies whose birth weight was less than 1500 Grams were included in the study once they were stable. The effect of Kangaroo Mother Care on breast feeding rates, weight gain and length of hospitalization of very low birth weight neonates was studied through a randomized control trial in 56 neonates. The Kangaroo group (n = 28) was subjected to Kangaroo Mother Care of at least 4 hours per day in not more than 3 sittings. The babies received Kangaroo Care after shifting out from NICU and at home. The control group (n = 28) received only standard care (incubator or open care system). Attitude of mothers and nurses towards KMC was assessed on Day 3 +/- 1 and on day 7 +/- 1 after starting Kangaroo Care in a questionnaire using Likert's scale. The results of the clinical trial reveal that the neonates RESULTS:- in the KMC group demonstrated better weight gain after the rst week of life (15.9 +/- 4.5 gm/day vs. 10.6 +/- 4.5 gm/day in the KMC group and control group respectively p < 0.05) and earlier hospital discharge (27.2 +/- 7 vs. 34.6 +/- 7 days in KMC and control group respectively, p < 0.05). The number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies at 6 week follow-up was double in the KMC group than in the control group (12/14 vs. 6/14) (p < 0.05)