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Kangaroo mother versus traditional care for newborn infants </=2000 grams: a randomized, controlled trial
N Charpak1, J G Ruiz-Peláez, Z Figueroa de C
1Programa Madre Canguro ISS-World Laboratory, Fundación Canguro, Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia.
Background:
In 1978, kangaroo mother care (KMC) was proposed as a caring alternative for low birth weight (LBW) infants. We are reporting here early outcomes of a randomized, controlled trial comparing KMC to traditional care.
Method:
An open randomized, controlled trial was conducted in a large tertiary care hospital. All newborn infants
Results:
Both study groups were similar regarding all baseline variables but weight at eligibility. The risk of dying was similar in both groups (relative risk = 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.22-1. 6). There were no differences in growth indices. Nosocomial infections were more frequent in control infants. Hospital stay after eligibility was shorter in KMC, primarily for infants
Conclusions:
These results show that KMC is a safe approach to the care of clinically stable LBW infants. Our findings provide the necessary scientific support to a method that is already incorporated in the care of LBW infants at many hospitals around the world and at different levels of care.