Early kangaroo care in preterm ≤32 weeks and very low birth weight infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2026 Open access

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Authors: Joana Arêde Martins, Renato Ferreira-da-Silva, André Assunção, Fátima Clemente, Inês F Azevedo, Sandra Costa
DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2025-0202
Cited by: 1
References: 23

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Kangaroo care (KC), involving skin-to-skin contact, early breastfeeding and early discharge, demonstrated benefits in improving outcomes for preterm and low birth weight infants. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of early KC (initiated within the first 24 h) vs. conventional neonatal care in very preterm infants (≤32 weeks) and/or very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Infant Development and Preterm Care Infant Nutrition and Health Neonatal skin health care

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Volume
54
Issue
4
Pages
799–810
Publication date
25 February 2026
Language
EN