Screening of postnatal maternal mental health in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit

Resumen

Having an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be traumatic for mothers, and can have long-lasting consequences for infant bonding and subsequent health. We assessed maternal anxiety/depression, and NICU sources of stress as a function of perinatal complications and social/spiritual support. We interviewed 110 mothers of infants admitted to the NICU. Measures included: STAI-6 (anxiety); PHQ-9 (depressive symptoms); PSS:NICU (stress); MSPSS (social support) and spiritual support. Perinatal complications were obtained from medical records. Maternal mean age was 27.1. Infant’s mean gestational age was 34 +/- 5 weeks; mean birth weight: 2,050g +/- 1,03g. NICU mothers reported slightly high anxiety symptoms (M=41.7, SD=13.8) and mild depression symptoms (M=5.6, SD=4.70). The overall NICU stress symptoms experienced was low to mild (M=1.98, SD=1.06), although parental role alterations (M=2.92, SD=1.03) was higher than unit’s sights/sounds (M=1.95, SD=1.11), infant behavior/appearance (M=1.69, SD=1.04), and staff behavior/communication (M=1.37, SD=1.08). Higher maternal NICU stress symptoms (infant behavior/appearance) were associated with having higher perinatal complications (p=.01). Higher maternal anxiety symptoms (p=.04), depression symptoms (p=.03), and stress symptoms (p=.02) were reported by mothers who had lower social support. Higher maternal anxiety symptoms were associated with lower spiritual suppor