Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care and Neonatal Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Mortality, Sepsis, and Hypothermia in Low Birth Weight Infants
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Abstract
Background: Neonatal mortality and morbidity remain a persistent issue, particularly in low-resource settings. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), early and prolonged skin-to-skin contact with exclusive breast feeding, has been shown to be a promising positive intervention. Aim and Objective: The meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to answer the research question: "In preterm or low birth weight infants, does Immediate or Early Kangaroo Mother Care reduce significantly neonatal mortality and morbidity, and improve clinical outcomes compared with standard care?" Methods: Databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched through June 2025, as per the PRISMA guidelines. Thirteen studies met on the basis of set inclusion criteria for the systematic review, and 10 of them met for quantitative meta-analysis based on the presence of extractable effect sizes for mortality, sepsis, hypothermia, and apnea. Results: Pooled analysis showed early or immediate KMC to be associated with a significant 28-day neonatal mortality reduction (pooled RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.65–0.86). Similarly, risk of sepsis was reduced by 23% (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66–0.91), and sepsis mortality was reduced by 38% (RR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.46–0.84). KMC also reduced hypothermia (pooled RR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.52–0.72) and apnea (especially in high-risk infants, e.g., RR = 0.47 in Jayaraman et al.). There were also increases in daily weight gain, respiratory stability, early initiation of breastfeeding, and reduced duration of oxygen support. Conclusion: Early or initiating KMC, even prior to full clinical stabilization, reduces neonatal mortality, sepsis, and hypothermia and improves several clinical outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sakthivel S, Preyeamvadha R, K Sudha Bhanu, Jamila Hameed
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Sakthivel S, Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Preyeamvadha R, Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
K Sudha Bhanu, Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Department of Pediatrics, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Jamila Hameed, Research Mentor, Emeritus Professor, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
Research Mentor, Emeritus Professor, Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi, Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, 678103, India.
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