Mother’s mental health and the interaction with her moderate preterm baby in the NICU
Date
2022
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Article
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16 p.
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Embargo
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Abstract
Introduction: Moderate preterm infants, born between 320/7 and 336/7 weeks, represent a significant number of preterm-born infants; however, they remain a poorly studied group despite their vulnerability. The objective of this correlational study is to describe the impact of having a moderate preterm infant hospitalised in the NICU on the mothers’ mental health and how this relates to the interaction between the dyad. Method: During the hospitalisation period, 85 moderate preterm mother-infant dyads participated in this study. The participants provided self-reports of depression, parental stress, and skin to skin and breastfeeding practices. Also, mother-infant interaction was assessed in the NICU with an observational scale. Results: Mothers evidenced high levels of stress and depressive symptoms during the hospitalization. The stress experienced by these women was significant, although weakly, associated with the interaction with their babies; and mothers of small for gestational age babies showed difficulties in this area. Conclusions: The results of this study could represent a contribution to a better understanding of the relation between the characteristics of moderate preterm babies, maternal emotional wellbeing, and the quality of mother-infant interactions in NICU settings.
Description
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Citation
article: Andrea Mira, Soledad Coo & Rodolfo Bastías (2022): Mother’s mental health and the interaction with her moderate preterm baby in the NICU, Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2022.2077921
https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2022.2077921
https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2022.2077921
Keywords
Moderate preterm, Premature birth, Perinatal mental health, Mother-infant interaction, Neuroprotection, Neuroprotective strategies