title: Effect of kangaroo mother care on vital physiological parameters of the low birth weight newborn.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low birth weight (LBW; <2500 g), which is often associated with preterm birth, is a common problem in India. Both are recognized risk factors for neonatal mortality. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a non-conventional, low-cost method for newborn care based upon intimate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby. Our objective was to assess physiological state of LBW babies before and after KMC in a teaching hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study cohort comprised in-born LBW babies and their mothers - 300 mother-baby pairs were selected through purposive sampling. Initially, KMC was started for 1 hour duration (at a stretch) on first day and then increased by 1 hour each day for next 2 days. Axillary temperature, respiration rate (RR/ min), heart rate (HR/ min), and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were assessed for 3 consecutive days, immediately before and after KMC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 265 mother-baby pairs were analyzed. Improvements occurred in all 4 recorded physiological parameters during the KMC sessions. Mean temperature rose by about 0.4°C, RR by 3 per minute, HR by 5 bpm, and SpO2 by 5% following KMC sessions. Although modest, these changes were statistically significant on all 3 days. Individual abnormalities (e.g. hypothermia, bradycardia, tachycardia, low SpO2) were often corrected during the KMC sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Babies receiving KMC showed modest but statistically significant improvement in vital physiological parameters on all 3 days. Thus, without using special equipment, the KMC strategy can offer improved care to LBW babies. These findings support wider implementation of this strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Alpanamayi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bera
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Jagabandhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Arun Kumarendu
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Avijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hazra
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Tapas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Som
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Munian
keywords: India; kangaroo mother care; low birth weight; newborn; physiological parameter; preterm