Parenting experiences of informal caregivers of preterm infants during the first 2 years of life at corrected age: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize qualitative evidence on the parenting experiences of informal caregivers of preterm infants during their corrected age of 2 years.

Introduction: Preterm infants, born before 37 weeks' gestation, are at high risk for growth and neurodevelopmental delays. The parenting journey for these infants presents unique challenges from birth to the transition home, particularly during the infants' corrected age of two years. Understanding informal caregivers' experiences during this critical time enables health care providers to deliver timely and appropriate interventions for both caregivers and infants; however, qualitative evidence synthesizing this area of research remains limited.

Inclusion criteria: This review examines qualitative data on the parenting experiences of informal caregivers of preterm infants from birth to a corrected age of two years, regardless of age, gender, or social status. Caregivers of infants with congenital anomalies and chromosomal abnormalities will be excluded from the study.

Methods: This review will adhere to the JBI approach for qualitative systematic reviews. The search strategy aims to identify both published and unpublished studies, with no restrictions on publication year. Studies published in English and Thai will be sourced from PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and Embase (EBSCOhost). Two independent reviewers will assess the methodological validity of the selected qualitative papers prior to their inclusion in the review. Data synthesis will employ the meta-aggregation approach, and the synthesized findings will be evaluated using the ConQual approach.

Review registration: PROSPERO CRD42024606504.