Abstract
Introduction: Mothers with preterm infants experience numerous stressful problems which can have negative effects on maternal role adaptation. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of consultation using a problem-solving approach on adaptation to the maternal role in women with late preterm infants.Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was carried out on 80 women with spontaneous late preterm infants recruited at Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital of Zanjan. Using convenience sampling method, the participants were assigned into two groups of intervention and control according to block design. Taking a problem-solving approach, counselling was carried out individually in four sessions. The control group received only routine care. The data were collected using adaptation to maternal role questionnaire including 33 items based on a five-point Likert scale ranging in seven areas, in two steps (before counselling and one month after the last counselling session). Data analysis was performed using the SPSS ver. 16.0 software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL).Results: The total score of adaptations to maternal role and its areas was significantly higher in the intervention group after the follow-up period.Conclusion: A comprehensive counselling including various dimensions of maternity adaptation had a positive effect on improving the adaptation to maternal role in mothers with late preterm infants.
Highlights
Mothers with preterm infants experience numerous stressful problems which can have negative effects on maternal role adaptation
The highest percentage in the two groups belonged to housewives; and in terms of the number of pregnancies, the highest percentage was related to multiparous in the two groups (Table 1)
The Mann-Whitney test results showed that the total scores of adaptations to maternal role and its areas were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group after the follow-up period (P < 0.001); the intervention caused an increase in the total score of maternal adaptation and its areas; there were no significant differences between the two groups in pretest (P ≥ 0.05)
Summary
Mothers with preterm infants experience numerous stressful problems which can have negative effects on maternal role adaptation. Preterm birth experience is often recognized as a traumatic condition and a source of distress for the parents.[1] Mothers of preterm infants have more worries about their infant’s attachment, health, growth, care, and feeding than the mothers of term infants.[2] The severity of psychological distress postpartum may be related to the severity of the infant’s illness.[3] Obviously, mothers of early preterm infants’ report marked emotional distress than mothers of late preterm infants.[1] The maternal emotional responses may affect the parenting role at least during the first few years of life.[1,4] According to Mercer’s theory of maternal role attainment, mothers with full-term infants may spend several weeks to learn and know about their newborns before they feel confident and skilled in the maternal role.[5] The mother with a preterm infant may have difficulty in the parenting role after discharge due to the interruption of normal pregnancy, loss of the pleasure of parenting a healthy infant, long hospitalization, and limited parenting role in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) This feeling delays the attainment of the maternal role.[6] Lack of adequate accountability for infant mental development, nutrition, and physical care are other potential stressors for these parents.[7] Infant health problems, including sucking, jaundice, sleep disturbances, abdominal bloating, ocular infections and cord[8] can be associated with adverse effects on maternal compliance
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