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
Affiliations
- 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
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.