COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences and Maternal Stress in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Abstract

COVID-19 compounds the already high levels of psychological distress experienced by NICU mothers. We aimed to describe the rates of NICU-related maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine how COVID-19 experiences correlate with high levels of stress experienced by NICU mothers. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis based on responses to a nationwide online survey to understand the relationship between COVID-19-related experiences and the stress experienced by mothers of infants admitted to U.S. NICUs (n = 108) during the pandemic. Results indicate that 61.9% of surveyed mothers reported experiencing high levels of stress on the Parental Stressor Scale: NICU. COVID-19-related grief was significantly associated with higher levels of maternal stress, as it related to seeing the baby’s appearance and behavior in the NICU and exposure to sights and sounds within the NICU environment. No significant associations were noted between parental stress and COVID-19-related health worries or worries about resources. Of note, our recruitment relied on convenience sampling, limiting the generalizability of study results. In conclusion, mothers who experience COVID-19-related grief appear to be more vulnerable to NICU-related stress. Prioritizing parent involvement and enhancing psychosocial support are essential strategies to mitigate the long-term consequences of heightened stress for NICU families.

Experience of parents of preterm infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the Covid-19 pandemic

“…Os pais vivenciaram momentos de estresse (Mengesha et al, 2022, Erdei et al, 2022, Meesters et al, 2021, problemas emocionais (Holly et al, 2021, Garfield et al, 2021, Bembich et al, 2020, Vance et al, 2021, Mengesha et al, 2022, Adama et al, 2022, Polloni et al, 2021, impactos na amamentação (Garfield et al, 2021, Muniraman et al, 2020 limitação do apoio social após a alta (Galeano et al, 2021), dificuldade de interação com profissionais de saúde (Mengesha et al, 2022), dificuldades de cuidados com o bebê (Adama et al, 2022, Muniraman et al, 2020, Reichert et al, 2022, Polloni et al, 2021, dificuldade em ter contato físico com o bebê (Polloni et al, 2021, Adama et al, 2022 e a interrupção temporária da segunda etapa do Método Canguru (MC) (Reichert 2022). Todos esses preditores prejudicaram o CCF, mas que devem proporcionar uma reflexão acerca da interação e intervenção da família na prática clínica, pois a partir dessas reflexões e princípios, pode-se estabelecer a competência parenteral, bem como, contribuir para que pais e profissionais trabalhem em parceria na unidade neonatal (Corrêa et al, 2015).…”

“…Mães destacaram que a ausência do parceiro junto à visita ao bebê, ausência dos irmãos e outras pessoas que não tinham permissão para visitá-lo, também foram condições que desencadearam estresse (Meesters et al, 2021). Priorizar o envolvimento dos pais e aumentar o apoio psicossocial são estratégias essenciais para mitigar as consequências a longo prazo do estresse elevado para as famílias da UTIN (Erdei et al, 2022).…”

Parents’ Participation in Care during Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Stay in COVID-19 Era: An Observational Study

“…When parents in the NICU are distressed or depressed, their interactions with their infants may be less sensitive and attuned to their infants’ needs [ 17 ]. For this reason, additional attention and support were necessary for parents in the NICU during the COVID-19 pandemic, given its association with increased stress and a potential impact on family outcomes [ 18 ].…”

Parent Experiences in the NICU and Transition to Home

“…These percentages are likely to be higher [29] and persist longer among families with infants in the NICU [32]. Stressors for families were also related to loss of childcare, curbed parent-to-parent interactions, decreased social worker availability, and changes in family-centered, multidisciplinary rounds [33][34][35][36]. Some hospitals were able to move to virtual rounds, while others limited the individuals participating [37,38].…”