What is kangaroo mother care?

Kangaroo mother care is an intervention that enables the mother to assume a central role in her own and her newborn's care, thus ensuring that the lead role remains with the mother and that health workers support and respond to the mother’s and newborn’s needs.

Kangaroo Mother Care reduces the risk of mortality by 32% at 40 weeks postmenstrual age or 28 days postnatal age. The magnitude of mortality reduction is similar for different gestational ages (≤ 34 weeks and > 34 to 36 weeks), for birth-weight categories (≤ 2000 g and > 2000 to < 2500 g) of low birth weight infants, and for institutional and community settings with a daily duration of KMC of at least 8 hours per day.