{"title":"What Influences Maternal Stress in The NICU Among Mothers of Preterm Infants?","authors":"Halyna Pavlyshyn, Iryna Sarapuk","doi":"10.2147/JMDH.S543911","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To assess the levels of stress and anxiety in mothers of preterm infants across various gestational ages (GA) and identify GA-specific factors contributing to maternal stress.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Stress and worry were measured in 146 mothers of infants ≤32 weeks GA and 101 mothers >32 weeks GA using the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS: NICU) and Worry Index (WI) questionnaires. PSS: NICU questions were distributed across the following subscales: Sights and Sounds (subscale1 (S1), Infant Appearance and Behavior (S2), and Parental Role Alteration (S3).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mothers of infants ≤32 weeks GA had higher total PSS: NICU and WI scores than those >32 weeks' GA (p=0.005 and p=0.023, respectively). S3 was the most stressful subscale in both groups, followed by S2. The factors associated with higher stress in mothers of extremely/very preterm infants: seizures (p=0.022 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.030 for S2, and p=0.008 for S3), infection (p=0.045 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.039 for S2), depression (p=0.049 for total PSS:NICU), cesarean section (p=0.024 for S3), and twins (p=0.048 for S3). Higher WI was associated with lower education and C-section (p=0.038 and p=0.000, respectively). The factors associated with higher stress in the mothers of moderate/late preterm neonates: unemployment (p=0.043 for S3), vaginal delivery (p=0.035 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.048 for S3), and older children (p=0.042 for S3). Higher WI was associated with lower educational level (p=0.036), unemployment (p=0.035), depression (p=0.039), and seizures (p=0.021).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>NICU-related stress and WI levels were higher in mothers of infants with GA ≤32 weeks and were correlated with GA. In extremely/very preterm infants, higher maternal stress was linked to seizures, infection, C-section, twins, low education, and maternal depression. In moderate/late preterm neonates, stress was associated with unemployment, vaginal delivery, and having older children. Parental role alteration was the main stressor in all groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":16357,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare","volume":"18 ","pages":"5713-5728"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12436200/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S543911","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the levels of stress and anxiety in mothers of preterm infants across various gestational ages (GA) and identify GA-specific factors contributing to maternal stress.
Patients and methods: Stress and worry were measured in 146 mothers of infants ≤32 weeks GA and 101 mothers >32 weeks GA using the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS: NICU) and Worry Index (WI) questionnaires. PSS: NICU questions were distributed across the following subscales: Sights and Sounds (subscale1 (S1), Infant Appearance and Behavior (S2), and Parental Role Alteration (S3).
Results: Mothers of infants ≤32 weeks GA had higher total PSS: NICU and WI scores than those >32 weeks' GA (p=0.005 and p=0.023, respectively). S3 was the most stressful subscale in both groups, followed by S2. The factors associated with higher stress in mothers of extremely/very preterm infants: seizures (p=0.022 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.030 for S2, and p=0.008 for S3), infection (p=0.045 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.039 for S2), depression (p=0.049 for total PSS:NICU), cesarean section (p=0.024 for S3), and twins (p=0.048 for S3). Higher WI was associated with lower education and C-section (p=0.038 and p=0.000, respectively). The factors associated with higher stress in the mothers of moderate/late preterm neonates: unemployment (p=0.043 for S3), vaginal delivery (p=0.035 for total PSS:NICU, p=0.048 for S3), and older children (p=0.042 for S3). Higher WI was associated with lower educational level (p=0.036), unemployment (p=0.035), depression (p=0.039), and seizures (p=0.021).
Conclusion: NICU-related stress and WI levels were higher in mothers of infants with GA ≤32 weeks and were correlated with GA. In extremely/very preterm infants, higher maternal stress was linked to seizures, infection, C-section, twins, low education, and maternal depression. In moderate/late preterm neonates, stress was associated with unemployment, vaginal delivery, and having older children. Parental role alteration was the main stressor in all groups.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare (JMDH) aims to represent and publish research in healthcare areas delivered by practitioners of different disciplines. This includes studies and reviews conducted by multidisciplinary teams as well as research which evaluates or reports the results or conduct of such teams or healthcare processes in general. The journal covers a very wide range of areas and we welcome submissions from practitioners at all levels and from all over the world. Good healthcare is not bounded by person, place or time and the journal aims to reflect this. The JMDH is published as an open-access journal to allow this wide range of practical, patient relevant research to be immediately available to practitioners who can access and use it immediately upon publication.
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