Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is provided to a low-birth-weight infant until the baby reaches which approximate body weight?

Appeared in: NORCET 8 Prelims-2025

Explanation

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a special method of care for low-birth-weight (LBW) infants.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines LBW as a birth weight of less than 2500 grams.
KMC is typically continued until the infant 'graduates' from the LBW category, which occurs when they reach a weight of approximately 2500 grams.
At this weight, infants are generally better able to maintain their own body temperature and are less vulnerable to the complications of being LBW.

Option A: 2000 gm is still considered low birth weight. While a baby might be stable at this weight, KMC is beneficial until the standard target is reached.
Option C: 1500 gm is the threshold for Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW). These infants are at very high risk, and stopping KMC at this stage would be unsafe and premature.
Option D: 3000 gm is a healthy weight for a term infant. Continuing KMC this long is unnecessary as the benefits are most critical for smaller, more vulnerable infants.

Visual 1: Infographic - A chart showing newborn weight classifications: Low Birth Weight (<2500g), Very Low Birth Weight (<1500g), and Extremely Low Birth Weight (<1000g).
Visual 2: Diagram - An illustration demonstrating the correct 'kangaroo position' for KMC, showing the baby upright, skin-to-skin on the mother's chest, with the head turned to the side.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Discontinuation criteria for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) based on infant weight to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
A key nursing role is educating parents on the benefits and technique of KMC, and empowering them to continue care at home after discharge.
Nurses must monitor the infant's temperature, breathing, and feeding during KMC and teach the mother to recognize signs of stability or distress.
What if? If an infant reaches 2500 gm but still cannot maintain a stable temperature without KMC, the care should be continued. The decision to stop is based on the infant's overall stability, not just weight alone.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question: the endpoint for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).
Recall the definition of a 'low-birth-weight' (LBW) infant. The term itself provides a clue.
Recognize that KMC is a therapy specifically for LBW infants.
Logically deduce that the therapy would be discontinued when the infant is no longer classified as LBW.
Connect the standard definition of LBW (weight less than 2500 gm) to the options provided to find the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Discontinuation criteria for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) based on infant weight.
Stem keywords: Kangaroo Mother Care, KMC, low-birth-weight infant, body weight
Lead-in keywords: until which approximate
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.
Negative lead-in flag: false

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