Abstract
Background : Currently, little is known about the maternal stress when a neonate is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Sri Lanka. Objective: To assess the maternal stress level when a baby is admitted to the NICU at Teaching Hospital Jaffna (THJ) and the influence of maternal and infant characteristics on this level. Method: A prospective cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in NICU at THJ on 75 mother-baby pairs using the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to measure the maternal stress level. A parent/infant demographic sheet provided information for determining which characteristic resulted in a different response. Results: Seventy six percent of mothers experienced severe and extreme stress level for overall stress. The mean for overall stress experienced by the mothers was 4.01 + 0.87. The highest levels of stress experienced were in the sight and sound subscale with a mean of 3.04 + 1.04 and the relationship with the baby–parental role (mean 2.93 + 1.28). The infant characteristic of gestational age resulted in a significant different score concerning the appearance and behaviour of the baby, even though there were no significant differences in the score experienced in the overall stress level. There was no significant difference in the overall stress score with maternal characteristics such as age, parity, maternal level of education and income, but a previous baby being admitted to the NICU had a significant correlation with the overall stress level (p =0.04). Conclusions: Mothers suffer significantly high stress levels when their babies need NICU admission. NICU physical environment and alteration in parental role are the main sources of stress. Infant characteristics like gestational age, birth asphyxia and sepsis are related to high maternal stress levels. Previous baby needing NICU admission and previous neonatal deaths have strong associations with high maternal stress levels. (Key words: maternal stress, NICU) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v45i2.8003
Highlights
Advances in medical knowledge and technology have made babies on the edge of viability to be cared for and kept alive
The infant characteristic of gestational age resulted in a significant different score concerning the appearance and behaviour of the baby, even though there were no significant differences in the score experienced in the overall stress level
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) physical environment and alteration in parental role are the main sources of stress
Summary
Advances in medical knowledge and technology have made babies on the edge of viability to be cared for and kept alive. For parents, birth of an infant requiring admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can represent a considerable source of stress. Appearance of the baby and uncertainty about outcome are potential sources of stress. The NICU environment has the potential to exacerbate this stress. NICU stressors, individually or in combination, may interfere with the mother–baby relationship and affect infant development subsequently. Little is known about the maternal stress when neonates are admitted to NICUs in Sri Lanka. Little is known about the maternal stress when a neonate is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Sri Lanka
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