Abstract
Hospitals and perinatal organizations recognize the importance of family engagement in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) defines family engagement as “A set of behaviors by patients, family members, and health professionals and a set of organizational policies and procedures that foster both the inclusion of patients and family members as active members of the health care team and collaborative partnerships with providers and provider organizations.” In-unit barriers and facilitators to enhance family engagement are well studied; however, less is known specifically about maternal engagement's influence in the NICU on the health of infants and mothers, particularly within U.S. social and healthcare contexts. In this integrative review, we examine the relationship between maternal engagement in the NICU and preterm infant and maternal health outcomes within the U.S. Results from the 33 articles that met inclusion criteria indicate that maternal engagement in the NICU is associated with infant outcomes, maternal health-behavior outcomes, maternal mental health outcomes, maternal-child bonding outcomes, and breastfeeding outcomes. Skin-to-skin holding is the most studied maternal engagement activity in the U.S. preterm NICU population. Further research is needed to understand what types of engagement are most salient, how they should be measured, and which immediate outcomes are the best predictors of long-term health and well-being.
Highlights
10% of infants born in the United States (U.S.) are premature, defined as gestational age < 37 weeks [1]
Samples studied were primarily drawn from single hospitals, with seven studies using samples recruited across larger hospital systems or from several hospitals
Our review showed that specific types of maternal engagement measured included activities such as skin-to-skin holding, visitation, traditional holding, infant massage, and music stimulation
Summary
10% of infants born in the United States (U.S.) are premature, defined as gestational age < 37 weeks [1]. Unlike their healthy term counterparts, preterm infants remain hospitalized for a prolonged period of time [2,3,4]. Maternal engagement is unique in its relationship to breastfeeding, maternal-infant bonding/attachment, and the pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience. This integrative review focuses on maternal engagement in U.S NICUs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
