Kangaroo Mother Care for Preterm Infants and Child Development – Evidence from São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Background An estimated 15 million children are born prematurely each year globally, resulting in a high burden of under-five mortality and neurodevelopmental disability. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is recognized as key intervention to support the development of preterm infants. Even though the benefits of KMC have been well documented in randomized controlled trials, evidence on the impact of KMC in routine care settings remains limited.Methods This paper examines the associations between maternal Kangaroo Mother Care efforts and child development among preterm infants born at the University Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil. Primary study outcomes were physical development (HAZ) and cognitive development at age 3.Results Practicing Kangaroo Mother Care was positively associated with physical development (+0.91 SD, 95% confidence intervals [0.126, 1.695]), and cognition (+0.37 SD, [0.034, 0.806]) of preterm children at age 3.Conclusion The results presented suggest that KMC has a large potential to improve children’s cognitive and physical development. New programs to increase KMC uptake in the setting studied may be beneficial for both mothers and their preterm children.