Comparative Study to Assess the Stress of Mothers of Preterm and Low Birth Weight Baby Admitted in NICU vs Postnatal Ward

Abstract

The birth of a sick or premature baby is an acute emotional crisis for the parents. Many parents feel anxious guilty and also blaming themselves for the sick of their baby. In very preterm infants parental anxiety is often heightened by the appearance of the tiny and vulnerable baby. The potential uncertainty regarding the survival and ultimate health of very sick babies leads to intense distress with the level of depression experienced by parents. The present study is aim to assess the stress level of mothers of preterm and low birth weight baby admitted in NICU and post natal ward. This study was conducted at Retna hospital, marthandam. A sample of 60 mothers were selected using purposive sampling technique. Stress was assessed by using parental stress scale. Data were gathered by structured interview method. Data analysis was done by using descriptive and inferential statistics.the finding of the study stated that Mean value in NICU mother was 50.92 and in post natal mother it was 27.68, pair t test was 11.89. NICU baby mother had more stress compared with post natal ward mother.