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Long‐term effects of earlier initiated continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for low‐birth‐weight (LBW) infants in Madagascar
Author(s) -
Nagai Shuko,
Yonemoto Naohiro,
Rabesandrataorotiana,
Andrianarimanana Diavolana,
Nakayama Takeo,
Mori Rintaro
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02372.x
Subject(s) - medicine , low birth weight , pediatrics , randomized controlled trial , live birth , birth weight , surgery , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Aim: To examine the long‐term effects of earlier initiated continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for relatively stable low‐birth‐weight (LBW) infants in a resource‐limited country. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with long‐term follow‐up was performed in LBW infants in Madagascar. Earlier continuous KMC (intervention group) was initiated as soon as possible within 24 h postbirth, and later continuous KMC (control group: conventional care) was initiated after complete stabilization. Outcome measures were mortality or readmission, nutritional indicators at 6–12 months postbirth and feeding condition at 6 months postbirth (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00531492). Results: A total of 72 infants were followed for mortality or readmission at 6–12 months postbirth. There was no difference between the two groups (7/36 vs. 7/36, Risk ratio (RR), 1.00; 95% CIs, 0.39–2.56; p = 1.00). The proportion of exclusive breast feeding (EBF) at 6 months postbirth was significantly higher with earlier KMC than later KMC (12/29 vs. 4/26; RR 2.69; 95% CIs, 1.00–7.31; p = 0.04). There were no differences in nutritional indicators between the two groups at 6–12 months postbirth. Conclusion: Earlier initiated continuous KMC results in a significantly higher proportion of EBF at 6 months postbirth. Further larger‐scale long‐term evaluations of earlier initiated continuous KMC for LBW infants are needed.