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
Worldwide, approximately 15 million infants are born each year prematurely. Complications due to premature birth is the largest direct cause of neonatal mortality and accounts for 35% of the global 3.1 million neonatal deaths each year. Mothers who have a preterm infant in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often report significant negative experiences that may have far-reaching implications, although the full ramifications are not yet understood. The current review addresses this gap by systematically reviewing published articles aimed at evaluating mothers’ experiences when their infant is confined to the NICU.
Since there is no published qualitative systematic review in this area, it is necessary to explore the experiences of mothers who have a premature infant in the NICU. Notably, parents often report different experiences and responses when their preterm baby is in the NICU; usually, mothers experience more stress and other negative emotions compared with fathers.
The current study aimed to: (1) Explore mothers' experiences of having a premature baby in the NICU; (2) Identify the source of mothers' emotional stress; and (3) Provide recommendations for future research by identifying common themes in the relevant published literature.
A systematic and comprehensive electronic literature search was conducted using search terms relevant to NICU exposure and mothers’ stress. The “Population-Exposure-Outcome” framework was used to identify the inclusion and exclusion criteria based on population, exposure, study design, language, publication date, and study result. The selection of studies followed two phases: First, we determined whether the study was relevant to the current review questions and met inclusion criteria by reviewing the abstract. For relevant studies, we then analyzed the full paper for the determination of final inclusion. Finally, we utilized a narrative synthesis approach to identify key findings from each included study.
Four common themes emerged: (1) Negative emotional impact on the mother; (2) Support; (3) Barriers to parenting; and (4) Establishment of loving relationships between mother and baby.
Based on the literature review, the current study recommends that NICU staff actively involve mothers when taking care of their infants. This involvement will help the mothers in their transition to motherhood and support the well-being of infants and families alike.
Further qualitative research is needed to explore better and understand the experiences of mothers using family-centered care in the NICU. Furthermore, while this research is critical, there is still a need for research that identifies the experiences of family members when a premature infant is in the NICU, as this review focused on only the mothers' experience, and other members of the family may have different perspectives.