Kangaroo mother care can improve the short-term outcomes of very preterm infants

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a cornerstone of preterm infant management. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of daily prolonged KMC in very preterm infants and its influence on neonatal morbidity and short-term outcomes, and breastfeeding optimization.

Research included 52 very preterm infants. According to the KMC duration newborns were divided into two groups; Group1 of 22 infants (42.3%) - KMC lasted more than 3 hours/day, Group 2 of 30 infants (57.7%) - KMC lasted less than 3 hours/day.

Nosocomial sepsis occurred less frequently in Group 1 versus Group 2 (OR = 10.50; 95% CI 1.23-89.67, p = 0.012). Incidences of BPD, NEC, IVH I-II grades, the duration of parenteral nutrition, and growth parameters have not been different between groups (p > 0.05). Breastfeeding rates at discharge prevailed in Group 1 (OR = 3.70; 95% CI 1.16-11.86, p = 0.025). The most important factors for nosocomial sepsis: combination of parenteral nutrition duration and daily prolonged KMC, as a preventing factor (p = 0.002). Combination of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) treatment duration, type of enteral feeding, and mother's age add as factors that have important influence on breastfeeding prolongation (p = 0.009).

Nosocomial infection prevention and breastfeeding optimization are profitable outcomes of daily prolonged KMC in very preterm infants. No significant differences in the BPD, NEC, IVH I-II grades incidences, duration of parenteral nutrition, and growth parameters were found between studied groups. Combination of long-lasting KMC and short-term parenteral nutritionis a significant factor for nosocomial sepsis prophylaxis.