PLOS Global Public Health (Jan 2023)

Facility-based care for moderately low birthweight infants in India, Malawi, and Tanzania

  • Katherine E. A. Semrau,
  • Rana R. Mokhtar,
  • Karim Manji,
  • Shivaprasad S. Goudar,
  • Tisungane Mvalo,
  • Christopher R. Sudfeld,
  • Melissa F. Young,
  • Bethany A. Caruso,
  • Christopher P. Duggan,
  • Sarah S. Somji,
  • Anne C. C. Lee,
  • Mohamed Bakari,
  • Kristina Lugangira,
  • Rodrick Kisenge,
  • Linda S. Adair,
  • Irving F. Hoffman,
  • Friday Saidi,
  • Melda Phiri,
  • Kingsly Msimuko,
  • Fadire Nyirenda,
  • Mallory Michalak,
  • Sangappa M. Dhaded,
  • Roopa M. Bellad,
  • Sujata Misra,
  • Sanghamitra Panda,
  • Sunil S. Vernekar,
  • Veena Herekar,
  • Manjunath Sommannavar,
  • Rashmita B. Nayak,
  • S. Yogeshkumar,
  • Saraswati Welling,
  • Krysten North,
  • Kiersten Israel-Ballard,
  • Kimberly L. Mansen,
  • Stephanie L. Martin,
  • Katelyn Fleming,
  • Katharine Miller,
  • Arthur Pote,
  • Lauren Spigel,
  • Danielle E. Tuller,
  • Linda Vesel

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 4

Abstract

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Globally, increasing rates of facility-based childbirth enable early intervention for small vulnerable newborns. We describe health system-level inputs, current feeding, and discharge practices for moderately low birthweight (MLBW) infants (1500-10% less than their birthweight; 18.8% of infants were discharged with weights below facility-specific policy [1800g in India, 1500g in Malawi, and 2000g in Tanzania]. Based on descriptive analysis, we found constraints in health system inputs which have the potential to hinder high quality care for MLBW infants. Targeted LBW-specific lactation support, discharge at appropriate weight, and access to feeding alternatives would position MLBW for successful feeding and growth post-discharge.