The Kangaroo Mother Care Program of Yopal, Colombia: an opportunity to keep track of preterm infants

Objective In Colombia, the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight (LBW) is 12.8%. To describe a standardized follow-up until 12 months of 1138 premature and/or LBW included in the Yopal KMCP (2014 -2015). Materials and Methods Prospective cohort. Results The patients are from the subsidized health care system (Colombia government), 58.2% live in the city and 24.6% at more than two hours from the city; 80.6% of parents are stable couples and 78.9% are employed; 69% of mothers started prenatal control from the first trimester. The most frequent obstetric pathologies were urinary tract infection and pre-eclampsia; 97% of deliveries were in the hospital; 55% by caesarean section. Majority of infants were late preterm; 13.3% passed through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with 27% ventilated and 5.9% oxygen-dependent at discharge. At 6 months more than 50% had exclusive breastfeeding. Ophthalmology screening was performed in 54% (4.6% retinopathy), optometry in 72% and audiology in 70% (4.7% with hearing deficit). At 12 months 4.4% had abnormal neurological exam and 95% complete vaccines schedule. Lost to follow up was 35% and mortality 0.4%. Conclusion It is important to implement KMCP in intermediate and isolated cities to ensure a high-risk follow-up for all LBW and / or premature babies, to detect somatic, sensory or neuro-psychomotor development anomalies and to perform timely interventions.