Effects of Kangaroo Mother Care on Peripheral Oxygen Saturation in Hospitalized Low Birth Weight Infants: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Low birth weight (LBW) infants are at increased risk of physiological instability due to immature organ function, making them vulnerable to hypothermia, respiratory distress, and reduced oxygen saturation. These conditions contribute substantially to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), a skin-to-skin care intervention, has been recommended as an effective strategy to improve physiological stability in LBW infants. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness in clinical settings in eastern Indonesia remains limited.Objective: To determine the effect of Kangaroo Mother Care on the stability of vital signs among low birth weight infants in the Perinatology Unit of RSUD Dok II Jayapura.Methods: A quantitative quasi-experimental study with a one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted from July to September 2024. Twenty-five low birth weight infants were recruited using accidental sampling. Kangaroo Mother Care was implemented for approximately four hours daily over three consecutive days. Peripheral oxygen saturation was measured before and after the intervention using a pulse oximeter. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.Results: The mean peripheral oxygen saturation increased from 91.3% (SD = 1.86) before the intervention to 93.1% (SD = 2.57) after Kangaroo Mother Care. Paired-samples t-test demonstrated a statistically significant improvement following the intervention (mean difference = 1.82; p = 0.008), indicating enhanced physiological stability among low birth weight infants.Conclusion: Kangaroo Mother Care significantly improved the physiological stability of low birth weight infants, as demonstrated by increased peripheral oxygen saturation. Incorporating Kangaroo Mother Care into routine neonatal nursing practice may provide a simple, low-cost, and evidence-based intervention to optimise neonatal outcomes and improve the quality of care for low birth weight infants.