A great article here in the New York Times December 2010 notes that Dr. Rey of the Mother and Child Institute in Bogota, Colombia came up with this technique. A second article covers how the Colombian Group has helped to spread this technique around the world.
A new article has shown that heart rate and respiratory rate may not change or be different than for kangaroo care compared to an incubator. Oxygen saturation levels increase 2-3%, and infant body temperature rises for healthy preterm infants compared to an incubator . Cortisol levels decrease by 60% or more compared to incubator care as well as the frequency of hypyglycemia over first 90 minutes postbirth.
This article discusses Kangaroo Mother Care in high-tech environments.
MSNBC reports on Australian mother's experience with Kangaroo Care. Her baby was pronounced dead but resuscitated by KC alone.
Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a WHO-recognized and evidence-based technique for nurturing low birthweight babies. The baby is wrapped against the mother's chest, with the mother's skin and baby's skin touching. The mother is encouraged to 'wear' the baby against her skin as continuously as possible, even 24 hours a day. A 2010 study found that KMC reduced deaths in preterm babies 50%, and that the method was more effective than incubators.
We are increasingly interested in profiling techniques in addition to simple tools. Techniques have no associated disposibles and where they are as effective as KMC, they need to be featured alongside tools for reducing maternal/newborn death.
photo from the Bill and Melinda Gates Living Proof website.
