title: Implementing Kangaroo mother care in a resource-limited setting in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated stable and unstable low birthweight infants admitted to a Kangaroo mother care (KMC) unit at a resource-limited rural hospital in Bangladesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive consecutive patient series study of 423 low birthweight neonates <2500 g enrolled from July 2007 to December 2010. KMC was initiated as soon as possible after birth, regardless of health, and we monitored skin-to-skin contact, weight gain, exclusive breastfeeding, length of hospital stay and death rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean birthweight was 1796 g, and mean gestational age was 34.9 weeks. Mean (median, 90th percentile) time of skin-to-skin initiation for stable and unstable neonates was 1.1 h (0.3-2.5) and 1.7 h (0.3-3.0), respectively. Adjusted mean daily skin-to-skin contact duration was significantly higher for unstable infants. About 99% of neonates were exclusively breastfed. The death rate was 8.3% (stable 1.9%, unstable 19%) at discharge. Neonatal mortality rate was 90 per 1000 live births (stable: 23 per 1000; unstable: 203 per 1000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skin-to-skin duration was higher for unstable than stable low birthweight infants, and exclusive breastfeeding was almost universal at discharge. KMC was suitable for unstable infants and may be successfully implemented in resource-limited hospitals.
authors: Centre for Reproductive Health, ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: Jesmin
authors: J
authors: Pervin
authors: Frida E
authors: FE
authors: Gustafsson
authors: Allisyn C
authors: AC
authors: Moran
authors: Suchismita
authors: S
authors: Roy
authors: Lars Åke
authors: LÅ
authors: Persson
authors: Anisur
authors: A
authors: Rahman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Early Kangaroo mother care; Exclusive breastfeeding; Neonatal mortality; Resource-limited hospital; Skin-to-skin contact