Prevalence and Longevity of PTSD Symptoms Among Parents of NICU Infants Analyzed Across Gestational Age Categories

Abstract

Objective. This study aims to investigate whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms exist >1 year after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience and whether PTSD symptomatology differs across parents of infants of different gestational age categories. Methods. A survey was given to parents at routine NICU follow-up visits. Parents completed the PTSD CheckList–Civilian (PCL-C), a standardized scale comprising 17 key symptoms of PTSD. Parents also rated how traumatic their birth experience, first day in the NICU, and first week in the NICU were from “Not Traumatic at All” to “Most Traumatic.” Fisher’s exact test was used to compare PCL-C responses across gestational age categories (Extremely Preterm, Very Preterm, Moderate to Late preterm, and Full Term). Results. Eighty parents participated. In total, 15% of parents had “Moderate to High Severity” PTSD symptoms. There were no statistical differences in PTSD prevalence between parents of children <1 year old and parents of children >1 year old ( P = .51). There was also no statistical difference in prevalence of “Moderate to High Severity” level of PTSD symptoms across gestational age ( P = .16). Overall, 38% of parents rated at least one experience as “Most traumatic.” Conclusion. A high percentage of parents who had a recent NICU experience and parents who had a NICU experience more than a year ago demonstrated PTSD symptoms. In light of these results, many parents of NICU graduates—both mothers and fathers—would benefit from access to long-term counseling services.

PTSD in parents of children with severe diseases: a systematic review to face Covid-19 impact

“…Two studies specifically involved younger children, with a mean age of 1.58 years [ 35 ] and around one year old [ 36 ]. The other two studies involved parents whose children presented the event at a mean age of 4.9 years [ 37 ] and children followed by paediatricians at any age (0–18 years) [ 38 ].…”

“…Two studies collected data from 6 months to one year after the diagnosis/event of the child’s disease [ 35 , 36 ]; whereas one paper reported results collected at a mean time of 6.3 years after the event (Werner) [ 37 ], and another one showed data gathered generally a month after the diagnosis of the child’s disease, as required for DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis [ 38 ].…”

“…Noteworthy, two studies showed quite homogeneous results, with rates of PTSD ranging from 17 to 19.5% among mothers and from 8.1 to 9% among fathers [ 36 , 38 ], whereas the parents of patients who experienced a stroke showed a higher prevalence of PTSD (28% of mothers and 15% of fathers) [ 35 ]. Surprisingly, Werner et al [ 37 ] reported much lower rates, since only one mother and no fathers had a diagnosis of a PTSD related to the implantation of a cardiac rhythm device in their children.…”

Father's experiences during the stay of the premature baby in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): a systematic review protocol

“…Hospitalization is unexpected and in most cases negative [10], the experience with this type of birth can generate discomfort, anxiety, and depression, [11] and can even cause typical symptoms of PTSD, up to one year after [12] [13]low social support, the stress caused by childbirth [14] and challenges related with the fathers' health and nancial problems are frequent predictors for this condition [15] [16]. The father usually struggles between the joy of having his newborn baby and the sadness that he is in the ICU [17].…”

Father's Experiences During the Stay of the Premature Baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): A Systematic Review Protocol

“…The Hospitalization of the baby after birth is unexpected and in most cases negative [10], the experience with this type of birth can generate discomfort, anxiety, and depression, [11] and can even cause typical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, up to one year after [12] [13], low social support, the stress caused by childbirth [14] and challenges related with the fathers' health and nancial problems are frequent predictors for this condition [15] [16]. The father usually struggles between the joy of having his newborn baby and the sadness that he is in the NICU [17].…”