Could early kangaroo care save more tiny newborns?

NCT ID NCT02811432

Completed Disease control Sponsor: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested whether starting kangaroo mother care (skin-to-skin contact) early, before babies are stable, reduces death within 7 days compared to standard incubator care. Over 2,200 low birth weight infants (700-2000g) at four Ugandan hospitals took part. The goal was to see if early skin-to-skin care could lower mortality by 25%.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: kangaroo mother care (skin-to-skin contact)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that starting skin-to-skin care early saves more lives in low birth weight babies, especially in resource-limited settings.
What could go wrong: This is a completed trial, but results may not apply to all hospitals or settings. The intervention requires caregiver commitment, and benefits may vary by infant condition.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Hypothermia Perinatal Death Premature Birth

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DEATH; NEONATAL HYPOTHERMIA, NEWBORN KANGAROO MOTHER CARE PRETERM INFANT

Contacts and locations

Locations

Entebbe

Entebbe, Uganda
Iganga District Hospital

Iganga, Uganda
Jinja Regional Referral Hospital

Jinja, Uganda
Masaka Regional Referral Hospital

Masaka, Uganda

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