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Kangaroo Mother Care: 25 years after
Nathalie Charpak1, Juan Gabriel Ruiz, Jelka Zupan
1Kangaroo Foundation, Bogota, Colombia. herchar5@colomsat.net.co
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|September 29, 2005
Summary
Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), involving skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, is a safe and effective intervention for low-birthweight infants. It improves infant physiological and psychosocial outcomes, supporting families globally.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatrics
- Maternal-child health
Background:
- Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) originated in 1978 in Colombia due to NICU overcrowding and high infant mortality.
- The intervention addresses challenges in caring for low-birthweight infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe KMC components, rationales, and global usage.
- To review evidence on KMC's physiological, behavioral, and psychosocial effects.
Main Methods:
- Review of KMC components: continuous skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding, early home discharge.
- Analysis of studies on KMC's physiological, behavioral, and psychosocial impacts.
Main Results:
- KMC demonstrates clinically acceptable physiological effects, significantly increasing body temperature and weight gain.
- Meta-analysis confirms KMC enhances breastfeeding uptake and duration.
- Behavioral and psychosocial benefits include infant quiescence, reduced maternal stress, enhanced bonding, and positive family/cognitive development outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Research supports KMC's effectiveness and safety for low-birthweight infants.
- Further research is needed to define the specific effectiveness of KMC components in diverse settings and for varied therapeutic goals.