TO ASSESS THE ATTITUDE OF MOTHERS TOWARDS KANGAROO MOTHER CARE(KMC),BARRIERS TO KMC AND PRACTICES AT DEPARTMENT OF NEONATOLOGY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

Abstract

 Abstract

Background-The premature infant is kept warm in the maternal pouch and close to the breasts for unlimited feeding and it involves placing the newborn infant in close skin to skin contact  with the mother.Kangaroo mother care as an early ,prolonged, and continuous skin to skin contact between the mother and her baby helps to prevent prolonged separation of mother and LBW infants,resulting in insufficient breast milk,low growth,and improved the intact survival of LBW babies and reduce NMR to a great extent.

Objective-To study the outcome of LBW babies<2kgs,preterm <37weeks who are on kangaroo mother care over a period of 18 months at NICU,Government general hospital,Kakinada.

Results- A total of 498 preterms /low birth weight babies were taken into study of them 352(70.6%) were moderate to late preterm ,and 232(46.6%) were weighing between 1.5-1.9kg.All 498(100%) participants in the KMC study perceived the baby’s heartbeat and respiration during the procedure.The mean weight gain per day observed was 8.93(g/day) in 4 hours KMC group,13.82(grams/day) for 8 hours KMC group,and 16.54(g/day)in the 12 hours KMC group.

Conclusion-The study reported that KMC in preterm <37weeks and LBW<2kgs for a significant period per day,helps in increase in survival and overall outcome of the baby.

Keywords-KMC,LBW,NMR,Preterm