Jornal Internacional de Saúde Pública e Segurança

Improve the Outcome of Baltimore City Teen Pregnancy through Kangaroo Mother Care

Abstract

Isabelle Wu, Li Liu

Objectives: Explore methods that help improve the high infant morbidity and mortality problem associated with Baltimore city nation high teen pregnancy rate.

Study Design: Consider alternative hypotheses and present discoveries from high quality and rigorous research papers only.

Methods: Conduct a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed publications based on a wide range of keywords and overweigh the study results based on the quality and timing of the studies.

Results: Baltimore City has a teen pregnancy rate that is twice as high as the state of Maryland and three times as high as the national average, reflecting a kaleidoscope of social economic factors. A factor such as poverty is seen as a risk factor and a consequence of high teen births. Teen pregnancy carries higher risks of preterm babies and infant deaths. Teen pregnancy also hurt these adolescent mothers in terms of education and prospects later in life. Kangaroo Mother Care, a method emphasizing continuous skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their new-borns, has been medically proven to improve the health of preterm babies and reduce preterm related infant deaths. How does this work? Research suggests that skin-to-skin contact causes the body to produce more oxytocin, also known as the love hormone that protects us from pain and stress, in both the parent and the baby.

Conclusions: We advocate for the adoption of Kangaroo Mother Care as a cost effective and easy to implement an approach to alleviate problems with the high teen pregnancy rate in Baltimore City.