AUTHOR=Mapatha Leshata Abigail , Nakwa Firdose Lambey , Mokhachane Mantoa 

TITLE=A comparison of weight gain between HIV exposed uninfected and HIV unexposed uninfected infants who received KMC at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.933968

DOI=10.3389/fped.2022.933968

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) has been associated with improved growth in low birthweight infants and reduction in hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, apnoeas, sepsis, hospital stay, and mortality. The growth of HIV-infected children is poorer than those who are HIV-uninfected. There is paucity of data on weight gain in the HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants compared to HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants receiving KMC.</p></sec><sec><title>Aim</title><p>This study compared the weight gain of HEU and infants HUU from admission to the KMC ward until 12 months corrected age (CA) follow-up visit.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Retrospective record review of the neonates admitted in KMC at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital over a 2-year period (2012–2013). The weight gain was assessed <italic>via</italic> weight velocity using the formula; weight/kg/day from admission to KMC to discharge, and g/ week at term, 3, 6 and 9- and 12-months (CA). The demographics were collected and analyzed using Statistica.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Seventy-seven (129/166) percent of the mothers were HIV negative. HIV negative mothers were younger (25.9 vs. 31.6 years; <italic>p</italic> = 0.000) and had fewer pregnancies (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02). There was no difference between the gestational age (30.3 ± 2.53 vs. 30.8 ± 2.88 weeks; <italic>p</italic> = 0.35) and birthweight (1,345 g ± 234 vs. 1,314 g ± 209; <italic>p</italic> = 0.47) between HEU and HUU. There were no differences in the weight gain (23.83 g ± 12.2 vs. 23.22 g ± 15.2; <italic>p</italic> = 0.83) in KMC. There was no differences in weight gain at the different follow-up time points between the two groups.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Both HEU and HUU groups of infants showed reasonable weight gain despite maternal HIV status.</p></sec>