To assess the feasibility of use of Kangaroo Mother Care for transport of neonates in Sub-Saharan Africa

Use of Kangaroo Mother Care in the transfer of preterm and low birth weight infants: a two-arm non-randomized controlled cluster feasibility study of neonatal transport in Cape Coast, Ghana

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN98748162

Enrollment

120

Registered

2024-09-02

Start date

2022-08-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Improving outcomes of transported preterm and low-birth-weight neonates in Sub-saharan Africa Not Applicable

Interventions

Four primary care/ maternity units with the highest referral/transfer to the neonatal unit of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) were initially recruited following a review of the admission-discharge

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Newborns <2500 grams and/or 28 to 37 weeks gestation at birth 2. Newborns less than 28 days old 3. Apgar score of at least 5 in the first and fifth minutes of life 4. Not requiring any ventilatory support, intravenous fluids, or vasopressors 5. Participants who provide informed consent to take part in the study. Fathers or family members willing to participate in situations where the mother was medically unwell for the transfer.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Apgar score of less than 5 at 10 minutes of age 2. Term neonates or neonates >28 days of age 3. Preterm/LBW requiring prolonged resuscitation and oxygen therapy after 4 hours of life 4. Newborns with major congenital malformations 5. Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy/prenatal asphyxia 6. Mothers with postnatal complications who were unable to give consent and had no dedicated family member to consent for inclusion in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Survival and live discharge of preterm and low birthweight neonates measured using data collected from a review of patient records when the babies were eventually discharged from the Unit	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
The following secondary outcome variables on the impact of the intervention on improvement in morbidity were measured using a proforma questionnaire for the data collection and populated upon admission of the baby to Cape Coast: 1. Thermal stability (hypothermia) 2. Glucose control (hypoglycaemia) 3. Oxygen saturation (hypoxia) The qualitative component of the study to assess the acceptability of the use of KMC was measured using semi-structured interviews after the arrival of the babies in Cape Coast	—

Measure

Time frame

The following secondary outcome variables on the impact of the intervention on improvement in morbidity were measured using a proforma questionnaire for the data collection and populated upon admission of the baby to Cape Coast: 1. Thermal stability (hypothermia) 2. Glucose control (hypoglycaemia) 3. Oxygen saturation (hypoxia) The qualitative component of the study to assess the acceptability of the use of KMC was measured using semi-structured interviews after the arrival of the babies in Cape Coast

—

Countries

Ghana

Contacts

Public ContactEmmanuel Okai

e.okai@uccsms.edu.gh+233 247020474

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 6, 2026