Kangaroo Mother Care Before Stabilisation Amongst Low Birth Weight Neonates in Africa (OMWaNA)

The OMWaNA Study: Operationalising Kangaroo Mother Care Before Stabilisation Amongst Low Birth Weight Neonates in Africa: a Multi-site Randomised Controlled Trial to Examine Mortality Impact in Uganda

We will conduct an individually randomised, controlled, superiority trial with two parallel groups; an intervention arm allocated to receive KMC and a control arm receiving 'standard' care. The primary aim is to examine the impact of KMC initiated before stabilisation on mortality within 7 days relative to standard care amongst neonates ≤2000g at four hospitals in Uganda. We hypothesise that neonates in the arm allocated to receive KMC before stabilisation will have a 25% overall reduction in mortality within 7 days compared to neonates allocated to receive standard care.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Preterm Infant; Hypothermia, Newborn; Kangaroo Mother Care; Death; Neonatal
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Kangaroo mother care; Other: Standard care

Detailed Description

METHODS Study setting, design, and participants The OMWaNA trial was an individually randomised, controlled, superiority trial with two parallel arms allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive KMC initiated before stabilisation (intervention) or standard care (control). The trial was conducted in the neonatal units (WHO level-2) of five government hospitals in Uganda (appendix p 5). Infrastructure and equipment improvements as well as training were required prior to trial initiation, as described previously.10 All hospitals were provided with essential equipment and supplies to support the provision of KMC and level-2 newborn care. Details regarding study context and methods have been published in the trial protocol9 and are briefly summarised here. Ugandan practice is that maternity and newborn care should be provided free of charge in government health facilities;11 however, families are expected to support caregivers to meet essential needs such as meals.

The trial is reported here in accordance with the CONSORT guidelines. All live-born neonates, aged 1 to <48 hours and weighing 700-2000g, who were admitted to participating hospitals and for whom the indication for KMC was "uncertain" according to WHO guidance concerning clinical stability, defined as receiving ≥1 therapy (oxygen, continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP] where available, intravenous [IV] fluids, therapeutic antibiotics, anti-seizure medication), were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria included triplet or higher multi-fetal pregnancy (unless pregnancy resulted in demise of ≥1 fetus) and parent/caregiver being unable/unwilling to provide either consent, KMC, and/or attend follow-up visits. Neonates with life-threatening instability, severe jaundice requiring immediate management, active seizures, or major congenital malformations were also excluded. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of Uganda Virus Research Institute (GC/127/19/06/717), Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (HS 2645), and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM, 16972). The trial was overseen by a steering committee and an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB).

Screening and informed consent All admitted neonates weighing ≤2000g were screened for eligibility by study staff. Stable neonates (meeting WHO 2019 criteria for KMC eligibility) were excluded and remaining neonates were assessed for eligibility. Those who met criteria for 'life-threatening instability' or who had conditions precluding KMC (e.g., seizures, jaundice), were reassessed every 3 hours up to 48 hours, after which they were excluded. Written informed parental consent was obtained for all participants.

Randomisation, allocation concealment and masking A random allocation sequence was computer-generated using permuted blocks of varying sizes stratified by birthweight (<1000g, 1000-1499g, ≥1500g) and recruitment site. Allocation concealment was done by programming the allocation sequence into the screening database and revealing treatment group only when screening of eligible neonates was complete. Neonates from multiple births (twins or triplets) were allocated to the same arm according to first-born allocation.14 Masking of parents, caregivers, or healthcare workers was not possible due to the nature of the KMC intervention.

Procedures In the intervention arm, KMC was initiated soon after randomisation. Neonates were naked except for hat and diaper, placed prone and skin-to-skin on caregiver's chest, and secured using a KMC wrap. Adjustable beds were provided to facilitate continuous skin-to-skin care. KMC duration was charted by caregivers and verified by study staff. When not in KMC (e.g., during maternal bathing), incubator or radiant heater care was commenced. Study personnel, in addition to hospital staff, provided continuous KMC counselling throughout the hospitalisation. Control arm neonates were cared for in an incubator or radiant heater, as per hospital practice. Caregivers could have physical contact with their newborn but skin-to-skin contact was not initiated until stability criteria were met.9 Once stable, newborns were transferred to routine (intermittent) KMC. Neonates in both arms received standard clinical care according to hospital guidelines.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 2221
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Uganda
  • Entebbe, Uganda
    • Entebbe
  • Iganga, Uganda
    • Iganga District Hospital
  • Jinja, Uganda
    • Jinja Regional Referral Hospital
  • Masaka, Uganda
    • Masaka Regional Referral Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 1 hour to 2 days (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion criteria

• Liveborn at Jinja Hospital, Masaka Hospital, Entebbe Hospital, or Iganga Hospital
• Singleton or twin pregnancy
• Birthweight ≥700g and ≤2000g
• Chronological age 1-48 hours at time of screening
• Alive at time of recruitment
• Parent/caregiver able and willing to provide KMC
• Parent/caregiver willing to attend follow-up visit
• Indication for KMC "uncertain" according to WHO guideline concerning clinical stability: pragmatically defined as receiving ≥1 therapy: oxygen, CPAP, IV fluids, therapeutic antibiotics, phenobarbital

Exclusion criteria

• Outborn
• Result of triplet or higher order multifetal pregnancy
• Indication for KMC "certain" according to WHO guidelines: pragmatically defined as clinically well neonates receiving none of the above therapy-based criteria

• Severely life-threatening instability defined as SpO2 <88% in oxygen AND ≥1 of:

  • Respiratory rate <20 or >100 breaths/min
  • Apnoea requiring bag-mask ventilation
  • HR <100 or >200 bpm
• Severe jaundice requiring immediate management
• Active neonatal seizures
• Major congenital malformation
• Parent does not provide written informed consent to participate in trial
• Mother or neonate enrolled in another MRC/UVRI research project

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Kangaroo mother care; Skin-to-skin care initiated as soon as possible following randomisation	Other: Kangaroo mother care; Skin-to-skin care (target: at least 18 hours per day); Other Names: Skin-to-skin care
Active Comparator: Standard care; Incubator or radiant warmer	Other: Standard care; Incubator or radiant warmer until neonate meets stability criteria; once stable (WHO indication for KMC certain), the baby can transition to routine (intermittent) KMC

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mortality Within 7 Days	early neonatal mortality at 7 days	7 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Prevalence of Hypothermia at 24 Hours Post-randomisation	Prevalence of hypothermia at 24 hours post-randomisation using axillary temperature was assessed using a digital thermometer.	24 hours
Time From Intervention/Control Procedures Starting to Clinical Stabilisation	Time-to-stabilization was defined as the first time at which a neonate had met all of the following criteria for a continuous period of at least 24 hours: breathing spontaneously with SpO2 >90% in room air; no need for supplemental oxygen or CPAP; respiratory rate 40-59 breaths per minute; no apneic episodes; heart rate 80-179 beats per minute; axillary temperature 36.0-37.4 °C; and no need for intravenous fluids.	30 days
Time From Starting Intervention/Control Procedures to Death	The date and time of death were prospectively recorded from the death certificate for in-hospital deaths. For deaths occurring after discharge, the date was recorded based on parent/caregiver verbal report. Median and IQR of time-to-event calculated as the 50th and 25th to 75th percentile of the distribution of event times among those who experienced the event.	30 days
Mean Duration of Hospital Stay in Days	The date and time of hospital admission and discharge were documented prospectively for the first admission episode.	30 days
Proportion of Neonates Exclusively Breastmilk Feeding at Discharge	Proportion of neonates who were exclusively breastmilk feeding at discharge, from the breast or by other means	30 days
Mortality Within 28 Days	All-cause mortality within 28 days. Vital status was documented at the 28-30-day follow-up visit. If participants did not attend, a telephone call was made the same day to ascertain outcome.	28 days
Frequency of Readmission	Episodes in which a neonate was readmitted to the index hospital were prospectively recorded. Episodes in which a neonate was readmitted to a different hospital were recorded based on parent/caregiver verbal report.	30 days
Daily Weight Gain at 28 Days	Mean daily weight gain was calculated as the difference between weight at enrollment and 28-30-day follow-up, as measured by the study scale.	28 days
Infant-caregiver Attachment at 28 Days	The intention-to-treat analysis assessed the mean difference in Maternal Infant Responsiveness Instrument score between the two arms. Scores range from 0 to 110, with higher scores indicating greater attachment.	28 days
Women's Well-being at 28 Days	The intention-to-treat analysis assessed the mean difference in Women's Capabilities Index (WCI) score between the two arms. The WCI has a scale of 0 to 1, with higher scores indicating greater wellbeing. The analysis excluded duplicate entries for mothers of enrolled twins/triplets.	28 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Collaborators: MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit; Makerere University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joy E. Lawn, BMBS MPH PhD, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Medvedev MM, Tumukunde V, Mambule I, Tann CJ, Waiswa P, Canter RR, Hansen CH, Ekirapa-Kiracho E, Katumba K, Pitt C, Greco G, Brotherton H, Elbourne D, Seeley J, Nyirenda M, Allen E, Lawn JE. Operationalising kangaroo Mother care before stabilisation amongst low birth Weight Neonates in Africa (OMWaNA): protocol for a randomised controlled trial to examine mortality impact in Uganda. Trials. 2020 Jan 31;21(1):126. doi: 10.1186/s13063-019-4044-6.
• Medvedev MM, Tumukunde V, Kirabo-Nagemi C, Greco G, Mambule I, Katumba K, Waiswa P, Tann CJ, Elbourne D, Allen E, Ekirapa-Kiracho E, Pitt C, Lawn JE. Process and costs for readiness to safely implement immediate kangaroo mother care: a mixed methods evaluation from the OMWaNA trial at five hospitals in Uganda. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Jun 10;23(1):613. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09624-z.
• Tumukunde V, Medvedev MM, Tann CJ, Mambule I, Pitt C, Opondo C, Kakande A, Canter R, Haroon Y, Kirabo-Nagemi C, Abaasa A, Okot W, Katongole F, Ssenyonga R, Niombi N, Nanyunja C, Elbourne D, Greco G, Ekirapa-Kiracho E, Nyirenda M, Allen E, Waiswa P, Lawn JE; OMWaNA Collaborative Authorship Group. Effectiveness of kangaroo mother care before clinical stabilisation versus standard care among neonates at five hospitals in Uganda (OMWaNA): a parallel-group, individually randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation. Lancet. 2024 Jun 8;403(10443):2520-2532. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00064-3. Epub 2024 May 13.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 13, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 30, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): September 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 21, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2016
• First Posted (Estimated): June 23, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): January 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 7, 2026
• Last Verified: September 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Newborn; Neonatal; Preterm; Randomised trial; Low birthweight; Kangaroo mother care
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy Complications; Death; Body Temperature Changes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Premature Birth; Hypothermia; Perinatal Death; Health Services Administration; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Therapeutics; Quality of Health Care; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Patient Care; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Infant Care; Child Care; Patient Positioning; Standard of Care; Kangaroo-Mother Care Method
• Other Study ID Numbers: Other Grant/Funding Number: Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham Women's Breast Health Fund

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: LSHTM Data Compass
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: When main results paper is published - currently under review
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: email to LSHTM data compass and agreement by study data sharing committee
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; ANALYTIC_CODE; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No