Authors
Sandra Milena Gómez-Ramírez, Jairo Alberto Zuluaga-Gómez, Nathalie Charpak, Carlos Castañeda-Orjuela
Published in
Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992). Aug 14, 2026. Epub Aug 14, 2026.
Abstract
To assess long-term effects of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on motor development in adults born with birth weights ≤ 1800 g, compared to conventional neonatal care.
This cohort analysis included 214 young adults with a history of birth weights ≤ 1800 g, mostly preterm, originally enrolled in a randomized controlled trial between 1993 and 1994 evaluating KMC. Motor system development was assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure corticospinal excitability and interhemispheric communication. Fine motor skills were evaluated with the Nine Hole Peg Test (9HPT). A 50 term-born normal birth weight reference group provided TMS values to evaluate KMC effectiveness.
Individuals with history of birth weights ≤ 1800 g, regardless of exposition to KMC, demonstrated longer completion times on the 9HPT and reduced grip strength compared to normative values. No significant differences in TMS measures were found between groups. However, in a multivariate logistic regression model, KMC was associated with a 78% effectiveness (95% confidence interval-CI: 4%-95%) on preventing the altered transcallosal conduction time.
Motor deficits related to low birth weight (LBW) persist into adulthood. KMC may contribute to avoid interhemispheric motor connectivity issues in individuals with birth weights ≤ 1800 g, highlighting its potential for long-term neurodevelopmental benefit.
PMID:
42601834
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Aug 2026.
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