Kangaroo mother care during phototherapy: effect on bilirubin profile

To determine the safety and efficacy of allowing kangaroo mother care (KMC) one hour per day during the course of phototherapy using a fiberoptic phototherapy panel.

Thirty premature infants, 30-35 weeks gestation, <2,500 gm, who required phototherapy. Infants were randomized into three groups: (1) infants who received traditional bank or spotlight phototherapy 24 hours per day, (2) infants who received traditional phototherapy 23 hours per day and for the 24th hour lay prone on a fiberoptic phototherapy panel, and (3) infants who received traditional phototherapy 23 hours per day and for the 24th hour were given KMC with a fiberoptic phototherapy panel held against their back.

Nonparametric statistics were used for between-group comparisons on number of days of phototherapy, daily bilirubin decrement, and bilirubin profiles over the course of phototherapy.

Groups did not differ in the number of days of phototherapy or in daily mean bilirubin decrement. The bilirubin profile for the KMC group showed a more shallow descent than did the profiles for the other groups, but a significant difference in decline was present only on day 4 of treatment (p = .05).

This pilot work suggests that KMC using a fiberoptic panel during phototherapy may be safe, but further study is needed.