View clinical trials related to Low-Birth-Weight Infant.
Filter by:Human Milk Fortifier (HMF) is designed to supply additional calories, protein, vitamins and minerals to infants less than 37 weeks gestation or those less than 1500 g at birth. Liquid and powder types of HMF are available in the commercial market. Usually, one packet of powdered HMF is mixed to 25-50 cc expressed breast milk. Fortification of human milk is technically difficult in fully breastfed infants and artificial teats such as bottle feedings are common used. A study reported lower breastfeeding rate in intervention group who used HMF in comparison with control. Finger feeding method is associated with a better breastfeeding rate in hospital use. A feasibility study in Vienna reports finger feeding method as a way to provide fortification at home was acceptable.We hypothesize that finger feeding is an easy way for HMF supplementation after discharge to increase successful breastfeeding and improve growth in preterm and or low birth weight infants.
Pakistan has a high neonatal mortality rate (55/1000 live birth)(1) and each year more than 200,000 newborns die. In rural Pakistan, more than 50% deliveries occur at home and majority by unskilled birth attendants(2). The country has a high proportion of preterm births and according to unpublished data it ranges between 15-20% of all live births. Prematurity is one of the 3 main causes of neonatal deaths (14.1%)(3). While many interventions exist to save the preterm newborns, KMC is considered as a simple, close to nature and cost-effective intervention. There are evidence to suggest that KMC, compared to incubator care, lowers the neonatal mortality by 51% for stable babies weighing <2,000 g if started in the first week. In this study; early, prolonged and continuous direct skin-to-skin contact is provided to preterm newborn by the mother or another family member to provide warmth and to encourage frequent and exclusive breastfeeding. The investigators intend to evaluate the impact of a KMC Package on the uptake of KMC in the community and its effect on neonatal mortality , exclusive breastfeeding rates , weight gain, neurodevelopment outcomes. This will be a cluster randomized controlled trial to be implemented in the rural union councils of District Dadu. The unit of randomization will be union councils.