The association between infant salivary cortisol and parental presence in the neonatal intensive care unit during and after COVID-19 visitation restrictions: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Parent-infant interaction in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) promotes health and reduces infant stress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, NICUs restricted parent-infant interaction to reduce viral transmission. This study examined the potential relationship between pandemic visitation restrictions, parental presence and infant stress as measured by salivary cortisol.

Methods

A two-NICU cross-sectional study of infants with gestational age (GA) 23-41 weeks, both during (n = 34) and after (n = 38) visitation restrictions. We analysed parental presence with and without visitation restrictions. The relationship between infant salivary cortisol and self-reported parental NICU presence in hours per day was analysed using Pearson's r. A linear regression ana

SUBMITTER: Brekke SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10164286 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature