Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care (iKMC)

The current WHO recommendation for KMC applies to babies weighing <2000g and defined as clinically stable. The average initiation of this “standard” KMC is 72h after birth, but 70% of low birthweight babies die within this critical time period. Several years ago, MNCH funded the WHO to conduct a study in which KMC was initiated immediately- as soon as possible (within 2h)- after birth for very low birthweight babies. The study was supposed to run through 2022, but concluded early after showing 25% reduction in mortality. The manuscript for the study has been accepted by the NEJM and will be published on May 27.​