Preterm Birth: Parental Experience in NICU

Abstract

A preterm birth entails high levels of parental anxiety and depression. NICU environment context and the uncertainty of the newborn's wellness are stressful and affects parental attitudes, hidering, perhaps, the psychosocial development of the newborn. The paper aims to describe psychological status of the parents of preterm infants in NICU and to compare it with term infant parent's psychological experience. The data of the study show that the NICU parental stress is modulated by their experience during the different phases of care of preterm infants. At discharge, depression and anxiety in preterm mothers significantly reduce, interestingly mimicking a physiological status. From parental attitude tests, premature mothers seems to be highly respectful of their infant needs and less distressed by maternal duties