The Relationship Between Kangaroo Mother Care Duration and Clinical Outcomes in Preterm and Low Birth-Weight Infants: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.

Authors

Yan Xiang, Lu Qin, Yefang Zhu, Mingyi Xu, Yanjun Mu

Published in

Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Aug 25, 2026. Epub Aug 25, 2026.

Abstract

Determining the optimal daily Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) duration is important for improving outcomes in preterm and low birth-weight (LBW) infants, but existing evidence is mostly as broad categories rather than a continuous dose-response relationship.
To examine the dose-response association between daily KMC duration and 4 outcomes in preterm/LBW infants: weight gain and hospital stay (primary), breastfeeding (including direct feeding and receipt of expressed human milk) and hypothermia (secondary).
PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and CQVIP Chinese Journals Platform were searched from inception to May 31, 2025.
Randomized controlled trials comparing Kangaroo Mother Care to conventional care in preterm or low birth-weight infants were eligible. Thirty-six trials meeting PICOS criteria with extractable daily KMC duration and at least 1 outcome were included.
Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Disagreements were resolved by discussion or consultation with a third reviewer.
Across 36 RCTs (N = 4210), daily KMC duration had a nonlinear association with weight gain, with benefits increasing beyond approximately 11.8 hours per day. Hospital stay also showed a nonlinear association, with the greatest reduction at approximately 6 hours per day. Breastfeeding rates increased linearly with longer KMC duration, and each additional KMC hour lowered hypothermia odds. Because outcome trajectories differed, 6 hours per day best reduced hospital stay, while longer exposure may add growth benefit when feasible.
For preterm and LBW infants, use KMC when feasible. Approximately 6 hours per day reduces hospital stay; longer exposure may further benefit growth. Future trials should report daily and cumulative KMC exposure, initiation timing, daily continuation, and long-term outcomes.

PMID:
42644842
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Aug 2026.

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