Effect of Kangaroo Mother Care on Premature Infants Physiological Outcomes

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
This project aims at testing the effect of applying the KMC on the premature infants' physiological outcomes. The findings of this project are expected to contribute to the discipline of preterm infants' care by providing evidence of the benefits, barriers, and facilities of providing the KMC in our Jordanian NICUs.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Premature infants are often unable physiologically to adapt well to the stressful environment of the NICU. These neonates are commonly at risk for the development of short and long term outcomes ranging from mild developmental delay to severe disability. The Kangaroo mother care approach (KMC) is developed to minimize the effect of prematurity and the NICU environmental stressors on premature infants. This project aims at assessing the neonatal nurses' knowledge and attitudes of the application of the KMC approach in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), testing the effect of applying the KMC on the premature infants' physiological outcomes, and exploring the mothers' lived experiences of providing KMC for their premature infants. The findings of this project are expected to contribute to the discipline of preterm infants' care by providing evidence of the benefits, barriers, and facilities of providing the KMC in our Jordanian NICUs.

Official Title
-----------------
Effect of Kangaroo Mother Care Approach on Premature Infants' Physiological Outcomes in Jordan

Conditions
-----------------
Premature Neonate

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Kangaroo care approach


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: all stable preterm or low birth weight infants (stable infants are those who are able to breath unassisted and have no major health problems (WHO, 2003)), weighing more than 1800gm, who are admitted to the NICUs at the time of study and whose mothers consent to participate and willing to practice the KMC with her infant Exclusion Criteria: high risk preterm or low birth weight infants.
Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: kangaroo care approach<br>the kangaroo care approach will be implemented for dyads who agree to participate | Other: Kangaroo care approach<br>* skin to skin contact between stable preterm infants and their naked mother's chest<br>|
| No Intervention: control group<br>routine care will be implemented | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breastfeeding outcome | Breastfeeding outcome will be measured for both groups by the numbers of preterm infants discharged on either exclusive or partial breastfeeding | 4-6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Body temperature | Axillary body temperature will be measured using an electronic thermometer | 4-6 months | 
| Heart rate (beat per minute) | Continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) data will be recorded from two surface chest electrodes | 4-6 months | 
| Respiratory activity (breath per minute) | A non-invasive signal monitor connected to the infant cardio-respiratory monitor that captures ECG and respiratory data will be used | 4-6 months |