Maternal psychological distress and visitation to the neonatal intensive care unit.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To examine associations between maternal neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) visitation rates, maternal psychological distress ('distress') and preterm infant outcome post-NICU discharge in a contemporary cohort of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.

Methods

This was a prospective study of 69 mothers and their VLBW infants. Distress was assessed 1-month postbirth, 2 weeks prior to NICU discharge and after NICU discharge at 4-month corrected age (CA). Maternal NICU visitation rates were calculated for the first 2 weeks and 1-month postbirth as well as for the entire NICU hospitalization. Regression analyses adjusted for the impact of (i) maternal and infant characteristics and distress on maternal visitation rates and (ii) the impact of visitation on long-term maternal d

SUBMITTER: Greene MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4792263 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature