NAN-HG-2
Babies
By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Dec.1, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine has described the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) method as a great lifesaving intervention for babies who were born prematurely.
Prof. Chinyere Ezeaka, the president of the society, spoke at a meeting organised by an NGO, Mamaye, with stakeholders in Lagos on “Prematurity in Nigeria and Kangaroo Mother Care’’.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), described KMC as “a method of care of preterm infants.
“Kangaroo mother care is a method of care of preterm infants. The method involves infants being carried, usually by the mother, with skin-to-skin contact.
“This guide is intended for health professionals responsible for the care of low-birth-weight and preterm infants.’’
Ezeaka of the Neonatology Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, said that newborn mortality remains one of the Nigeria’s major health challenges.
“Nigeria ranks third among the countries with the highest numbers of preterm births globally with an annual preterm birth rate of about 773,600.
“An estimated 240,000 newborn babies die in their first month of life out of approximately seven million annual deliveries.
“Thirty-one per cent of newborn deaths in Nigeria are directly due to complications of preterm birth; preterm birth and low birth weight are indirect cause in up to 80 per cent of newborn deaths in Nigeria.
“Altogether, 980,000 preterm and low birth weight babies are born each year in Nigeria.’’
She said that there was an urgent need to prevent preterm births and scale up KMC as a standard of care.
“If a baby has the opportunity to choose the best time to be born, it is 39 weeks of gestation, provided there are no complications in the mother and baby.
“For instance, a baby’s brain at 35 weeks weighs only two-thirds of what it will weigh at 39 to 40 weeks.
“ Every week away from 39 weeks significantly adds to the risk of problems in the baby and the probability of death in the newborn period.
“So, for these vulnerable infants, there is need to consciously help them to survive through the KMC method, especially as most health facilities do not have the capacity to care for these babies,’’ Ezeaka said.
According to her, there are associated complications to premature births.
“It can lead to low body temperature due to the inability of the immature heat regulating mechanism and little body fat in the babies.
“It also results to respiratory difficulties from birth, low blood sugar due to immature glucose storage, more infections as a result of immature immune system.
“Feeding problems as a result of inability to suck, cardiac problems, more jaundice due to the immature liver and bleeding into the brain are also some of the associated complications.
“The long term complications include learning difficulties, brain damage, mental subnormality, deafness, partial or complete blindness, chronic lung disease, poor growth and increased non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension later in life,’’ she said.
Ezeaka said that health workers should encourage mothers of preterm babies to embrace KMC.
“It is an easy, cheap and natural method where the baby wears a cap, socks and nappy; she is placed upright between the mother’s breasts, skin to skin.
“With the baby’s head facing sideways, the baby is secured onto the mother’s chest with a cloth.
“The mother is instructed to wear a blouse with open front and advised not to carry the baby to cook, bath or to the toilet,’’ she said.
On the benefits of KMC, Ezeaka said, “It is the best incubator, especially as we lack incubators in our hospitals.
“To the baby, it provides 24 hours warmth, aids physiologic stability, multimodal stimulation, reduced infection, better Intelligence Quotient (IQ), alertness, quiet sleep and early growth spurt.
“To the mother, it promotes self-confidence, successful breastfeeding and better maternal-baby bonding; it reduces hospital stay, brings satisfaction and is economical.
“Then, to the family, it saves money, reduces incidence of child abuse and abandonment; it also creates room to make the baby grow healthier,’’ she said. (NAN)
VIV/GOK
Edited by Olagoke Olatoye