Early Kangaroo Mother Care in Preterm Infants, Implications, Timing, and Feasibility: A Systematic Review
Gennaro Laus1, Tommaso Cassano, Sipontina Rita Zerulo
1Author Affiliations: Department of Services, IRCCS CROB: Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, Rionero in Vulture, Potenza, Italy (Dr Laus); Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy (Prof Cassano); and Emergency Department, United Polyclinic of Foggia and University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy (Dr Zerulo).
Early Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), initiated within 24 hours, significantly reduces preterm infant mortality and improves health outcomes. Ultra-early KMC is beneficial even for unstable newborns, with nurses playing a key role.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatrics
- Public health
Background:
- Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a vital practice for preterm infants, involving skin-to-skin contact.
- KMC offers benefits such as improved physiological stability, reduced mortality, and enhanced lactation.
- The optimal timing for initiating KMC remains an area of ongoing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical and organizational aspects of early KMC initiation in preterm infants.
- To specifically examine the impact of different initiation timings for KMC.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of studies published since 2016 in Italian or English.
- Searches were conducted on Medline (PubMed) and the Cochrane Library.
- Data extraction and analysis were performed by two independent reviewers.
Main Results:
- Early KMC (within 24 hours) enhances physiological stability, reduces mortality by up to 25%, and improves breastfeeding, growth, and neurodevelopment.
- Ultra-early KMC (within 1.3 hours) is effective even for moderately unstable newborns.
- Nurses are crucial for promoting and managing early KMC.
Conclusions:
- Integrating early KMC into routine care necessitates specialized training, organizational support, and family engagement.
- Further research is required to strengthen evidence and establish universal KMC protocols.
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