Maternal psychological distress and visitation to the neonatal intensive care unit

Feb 17, 2015Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)

Mothers' mental stress and visits to the newborn intensive care unit

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Abstract

In a cohort of 69 mothers of very low birthweight infants, lower maternal NICU visitation rates were linked to higher maternal depression scores at infants' 4-month corrected age visit.

A greater number of children in the home and higher exposure to potentially traumatic events prior to childbirth are associated with lower maternal visitation rates.
Lower maternal visitation rates consistently predict higher maternal depression scores after NICU discharge.
Maternal NICU visitation rates do not appear to influence post-NICU discharge infant clinic attendance or rehospitalization.
Maternal psychological distress is identified as a significant predictor of visitation rates.

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AIM: To examine associations between maternal neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) visitation rates, maternal psychological distress ('distress') and preterm infant outcome post-NICU discharge in a contemporary cohort of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.

METHODS: This was a prospective study of 69 mothers and their VLBW infants. Distress was assessed 1-month postbirth, 2 weeks prior to NICU discharge and after NICU discharge at 4-month corrected age (CA). Maternal NICU visitation rates were calculated for the first 2 weeks and 1-month postbirth as well as for the entire NICU hospitalization. Regression analyses adjusted for the impact of (i) maternal and infant characteristics and distress on maternal visitation rates and (ii) the impact of visitation on long-term maternal distress and rates of infant clinic attendance and rehospitalization.

RESULTS: Greater number of children in the home, maternal exposure to a greater number of potentially traumatic events prior to childbirth and lower maternal anxiety consistently predicted lower visitation rate. Lower maternal visitation rate predicted higher maternal depression scores at infants' 4-month CA visit. Maternal NICU visitation rate did not predict post-NICU discharge infant clinic attendance or rehospitalization.

CONCLUSION: Distress is an important predictor of visitation. In turn, visitation is associated with long-term maternal distress.

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Maternal psychological distress and visitation to the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

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