Assessment of stress in mothers of babies admitted to neonatal intensive care unit and the influence of maternal and infant characteristics on the stress levels.

Abstract

Objectives: The study was aimed to assess the maternal stress level due to their infant's neonatal intensive care stay and to understand the factors contributing to it.

Method: This prospective observational study was conducted in the level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary level public hospital in India. Mothers (N = 100) were interviewed according to the Parental Stress Score (PSS) questionnaire, during days 6-8 of their infant's admission to the NICU.

Results: Maternal stress was found to be highest due to sights and sounds in the NICU followed by alteration of the parental role. Stress due to staff behaviour and communication was least stressful followed by baby look and behaviour. The stress due to sights and sounds was significantly higher than stress due to baby's look and behaviour [(2.7 ± 1.4 vs 1.98 ± 2.02), p = 0.004] and staff behaviour [(2.7 ± 1.4 vs 1.58 ± 1.31), p = 0.00] while was not significantly higher than stress due to parental role [(2.7 ± 1.4 vs 2.29 ± 1.60), p = 0.055]. The stress level due to baby's look and behaviour was not significantly higher than parental role [(1.98 ± 2.02 vs 2.29 ± 1.60), F = 1.4, p = 0.23] or staff behaviour [(1.98 ± 2.02 vs 1.58 ± 1.31), F = 2.7, p = 0.09]. The demographic characteristics such as maternal age, parity, educational stress, type of delivery, gestation, need of ventilatory support, feed intolerance and kangaroo mother care (KMC) in infants individually did not significantly affect the stress scores.

Conclusion: The involvement of mothers in neonatal care while the infants were in the NICU, early KMC and involvement of mothers in enteral feeding practices may alleviate her stress levels.