EC Paediatrics

Research Article Volume 14 Issue 3 - 2025

Barriers to Kangaroo Mother Care and Increasing Kangaroo Mother Care Rates for Preterm and Low-Birth-Weight Newborns in a Special Care Newborn Unit - A Quality Improvement Initiative

Shazia Afreen1*, Syeda Mehnaz2, Nusrat Nahar2, Ferdousi Hasnat3, Faria Yasmin4, Moushome Islam5 and Alina Samadder5

1Specialist Neonatologist, Special Care Newborn Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
 2Assistant Professor of Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
 3Associate Professor of Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
 4Specialist Neonatologist, Director General of Health Services, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
5Senior Staff Nurse, Special Care Newborn Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh

*Corresponding Author: Shazia Afreen, Specialist Neonatologist, Special Care Newborn Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Received: February 13, 2025; Published: February 19, 2025




Background: Kangaroo mother care is a well-recognized, evidence-based, low-cost intervention for preterm and/or low birth weight infants. Despite numerous benefits of KMC, it’s still not well practiced in Bangladesh. There is a lack of knowledge about the importance of KMC for preterm and/or low-birth-weight babies among the general population and health care providers. The goal of this quality improvement project is to raise the KMC rate for preterm and/or low birth weight babies in our SCANU by using it as a baseline study.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of the quality improvement program in increasing the rate of KMC for preterm and/or LBW newborns admitted to SCANU.

Methods: Over the course of a year, this QI study was carried out in the Special Care Newborn Unit, Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka. This study comprised neonates < 37 weeks and/or ≤ 2400 gm and mother dyads. Baseline data were gathered during the observation period. The comprehensive counselling package, demonstration, documentation and reporting of KMC, provision of KMC bags and the display of KMC posters and videos marked the beginning of the intervention phase.

Results: A total of 116 preterm and/or LBW newborn and mother pairs were included in this study. Small for gestational age were more prevalent in the observation phase, while preterm were more prevalent in the intervention phase. Following the implementation of the QI initiative, the percentage of KMC initiation increased from 24.13% to100% and the mean postnatal age of KMC initiation improved from 3.35 ± 2.6 to 1.66 ± 1.2.

Conclusion: This study identified several challenges to KMC, including a lack of counselling, information, attitude, practice, and logistics. The rate of KMC and early beginning of KMC among preterm and/or LBW newborns admitted to the Special Care Neonatal Unit has significantly increased as a result of this quality improvement initiative.

 Keywords: Kangaroo Mother Care; Quality Improvement; Preterm; Low Birth Weight

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Shazia Afreen., et al. "Barriers to Kangaroo Mother Care and Increasing Kangaroo Mother Care Rates for Preterm and Low-Birth-Weight Newborns in a Special Care Newborn Unit - A Quality Improvement Initiative". EC Paediatrics 14.3 (2025): 01-10.

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