Post-traumatic stress disorder in mother’s of children hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> The progress of neonatal intensive care units has notably enhanced the chances of survival for infants. Despite this, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers of neonates receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) remains a widely underestimated issue.<b>Aims and objectives:</b> Our objective was to pinpoint the possible risk factors contributing to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder in mothers of neonates receiving care in the NICU.<b>Methods:</b> A prospective, descriptive study was carried out at the Mohamed V Moroccan Military teaching hospital over a 1-year period from January 1st, 2023, to December 31st, 2023, concentrating on neonatal medicine and resuscitation. Mothers were interviewed, and the presence of PTSD after preterm birth and NICU admission was assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) at 28-30 days following NICU admission or at the time of discharge.<b>Results:</b> The findings revealed that mothers of premature infants displayed more stress symptoms compared to mothers of full-term newborns. Through multivariate analysis, we observed that the gestational age of newborns admitted to the NICU significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.001) influenced the occurrence of PTSD.<b>Conclusion:</b> Post-traumatic stress disorder in mothers of preterm newborns is a pathological condition that demands proper management from the very first days after birth. The NICU environment remains a significant risk factor for PTSD.