Barriers for Kangaroo Mother Care among Post-natal Mothers in Developing Countries: an Integrative Review

Abstract

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a highly cost-effective intervention for improving health outcomes among preterm and low birth weight babies. Despite evidence of its effectiveness in reducing morbidity and mortality, implementation barriers persist in developing countries where approximately 15 million preterm babies are born annually, and 9 million low birth weight infants die due to preventable causes. This integrative review aimed to determine barriers to KMC adoption among postnatal mothers indeveloping countries to inform targeted interventions and policy development. An advanced search in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINHAL, and Cochrane using PRISMA guidelines resulted in seven studies conducted across India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, Vietnam, and Malaysia which were reviewed to explore barriers to KMC implementation from the perspectives of mothers and healthcare providers.