Published online Aug 26, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i24.7062
Peer-review started: April 1, 2021
First decision: April 28, 2021
Revised: May 12, 2021
Accepted: July 6, 2021
Article in press: July 6, 2021
Published online: August 26, 2021
Processing time: 144 Days and 13.2 Hours
Preterm birth is on the rise worldwide. Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have enabled many critically ill newborns to survive. When a premature baby is admitted to the NICU, the mother–infant relationship may be interrupted, affecting the mother's mental health.
To examine the maternal emotions associated with having a child in the NICU and provide suggestions for clinical practice.
MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychARTICLES, and PsychINFO were searched for relevant articles between 2005 to 2019, and six qualitative articles were chosen that explored the experiences of mothers who had a preterm infant in the NICU. The thematic analysis method was used to identify the most common themes.
Four main themes of the experience of mothers who had a preterm infant in the NICU were identified: Negative emotional impacts on the mother, support, barriers to parenting, and establishment of a loving relationship.
NICU environment is not conducive to mother-child bonding, but we stipulate steps that health care professionals can take to reduce the negative emotional toll on mothers of NICU babies.
Core Tip: Mothers had negative experiences when their premature infants were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU). These experiences are related to such factors as the condition of the infant and the NICU environment. Maternal emotions included shock, feelings of unpreparedness, fear, anxiety, and guilt, and nurses play a significant role in helping the mothers. With the help of family members, health care professionals, and religious beliefs, the mothers also had positive experiences and established loving relationships with their babies. Doctors and nurses in the NICU with appropriate social skills can help parents better understand their child’s condition, potential treatment plans, and prognosis.