Admission to the kangaroo mother care ward and maternal postpartum depression in Lusaka, Zambia: a randomised controlled trial study protocol
5 affiliations
- 1Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- 2University of Alabama at Birmingham, Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, US
- 3Women and Newborn Hospital, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia
- 4Curtin University Dubai, Dubai, UAE
- 5Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis Department of Public Health Sciences, Davis, California, US
Abstract
Introduction: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious public health problem affecting 17% of women globally with higher rates (up to 40%) recorded in southern Africa. Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a risk factor for PPD. The study aims to determine whether initiation of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) at the NICU followed by admission to the KMC Ward for continued support for more than 2 days before discharge home reduces maternal PPD and other maternal and infant adverse outcomes in low-resource settings.
Methods and analysis: This study will enrol mother-infant dyads (n=612), fathers (up to n=612) and a purposive subset of mothers (n=24), fathers (n=24) and family members (n=24) who will complete in-depth interviews (IDIs). Mother-infant dyads will be recruited from the NICU at the Women and Newborn Hospital - University Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Once deemed stable for admission to the KMC Ward as part of step-down care, mother-infant dyads will be randomised to either the control arm where they will remain at the KMC Ward ≤2 days per standard of care or the intervention arm where they will remain at the KMC Ward for >2 days. The primary outcome is maternal PPD at 6–8 weeks postnatal screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening tool. IDIs will explore the feasibility and barriers to practising KMC post-discharge from the perspective of the parents and other family members.
Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, the National Health Research Authority and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Institutional Review Board. A Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has been constituted. Dissemination will be via publications in peer-reviewed journals, conferences, social media and revision of national guidelines.
Trial registration number: NCT06545760.
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BibTeX
@article{manasyan2026admission,
title = {{Admission to the kangaroo mother care ward and maternal postpartum depression in Lusaka, Zambia: a randomised controlled trial study protocol}},
author = {Albert Manasyan and Jyoti Lakhwani and Herbert Kapesa and J Anitha Menon and Anjali Sharma and Jake M Pry and Catherine Brown and Taniya Tembo and Waldemar A Carlo},
journal = {BMJ Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121368},
url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121368},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Admission to the kangaroo mother care ward and maternal postpartum depression in Lusaka, Zambia: a randomised controlled trial study protocol
AU - Albert Manasyan
AU - Jyoti Lakhwani
AU - Herbert Kapesa
AU - J Anitha Menon
AU - Anjali Sharma
AU - Jake M Pry
AU - Catherine Brown
AU - Taniya Tembo
AU - Waldemar A Carlo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - BMJ Open
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121368
UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121368
AB - Introduction: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious public health problem affecting 17% of women globally with higher rates (up to 40%) recorded in southern Africa. Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a risk factor for PPD. The study aims to determine whether initiation of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) at the NICU followed by admission to the KMC Ward for continued support for more than 2 days before discharge home reduces maternal PPD and other maternal and infant adverse outcomes in low-resource settings. Methods and analysis: This study will enrol mother-infant dyads (n=612), fathers (up to n=612) and a purposive subset of mothers (n=24), fathers (n=24) and family members (n=24) who will complete in-depth interviews (IDIs). Mother-infant dyads will be recruited from the NICU at the Women and Newborn Hospital - University Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Once deemed stable for admission to the KMC Ward as part of step-down care, mother-infant dyads will be randomised to either the control arm where they will remain at the KMC Ward ≤2 days per standard of care or the intervention arm where they will remain at the KMC Ward for >2 days. The primary outcome is maternal PPD at 6–8 weeks postnatal screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening tool. IDIs will explore the feasibility and barriers to practising KMC post-discharge from the perspective of the parents and other family members. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, the National Health Research Authority and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Institutional Review Board. A Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has been constituted. Dissemination will be via publications in peer-reviewed journals, conferences, social media and revision of national guidelines. Trial registration number: NCT06545760.
SN - 2044-6055
SN - 2044-6055
ER -