Kangaroo Mother Care Is Beneficial for Both Infants and Parents: An Umbrella Review

To evaluate the overall effectiveness of kangaroo mother care (KMC) for newborn infants and parents.

In February 2024, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched to identify systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials that investigated KMC. Two authors independently screened the literature to identify relevant studies, which were extracted by one author and verified by another author.

Thirty-one systematic reviews with meta-analyses were included in the umbrella review. KMC demonstrated multiple benefits for infants, such as improved thermoregulation, glycemic stability, head circumference growth, reduced infection risk, shorter hospital stays, and enhanced physiological stability. Among preterm or low-birthweight newborn infants, KMC was associated with reduced mortality when compared to standard care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal benefits included higher breastfeeding rates and improved psychological well-being among mothers practicing KMC compared to mothers who did not practice KMC.

The KMC intervention provides numerous advantages for both infants and mothers. As a safe, simple, and cost-effective intervention, KMC should be widely promoted and integrated into neonatal practices globally. However, limitations in the quality of evidence from previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses warrant cautious interpretation of the findings.