Purpose
This study investigated the physical and emotional health of South Korean mothers of preterm infants in the early postpartum period.
Methods
In this descriptive correlational study, the participants included 91 mothers of preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Physical health status was measured using a self-reported questionnaire, postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and guilt using a 4-item scale.
Results
Fatigue had the highest score among mothers' physical health problems, followed by shoulder pain, nipple pain, neck pain. The average postpartum depression score was 11.02 points, and 44% of women had postpartum depression with a score of 12 or above. Postpartum depression significantly was correlated with physical health (r=.35, p=.001), anxiety (r=.84, p<.001), and guilt (r=.75, p<.001) and was significantly higher for women with multiple births, and preterm infants who required ventilator and antibiotic treatment. Anxiety also showed a significant difference according to preterm infants’ condition.
Conclusion
The significant correlations between postpartum depression and physical health, anxiety, and guilt indicate a need for nursing interventions that provide integrated management of mothers’ physical and emotional health.

Citations

• Physical Problems, Fatigue, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Experienced by Women in the First 48 Hours of Postpartum Period
  Yasemin Erkal Aksoy, Bihter Akin, Sema Dereli Yilmaz
  Nursing & Health Sciences.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Extending the concept of moral distress to parents of infants hospitalized in the NICU: a qualitative study in Greece
  Polychronis Voultsos, Maria Arabatzi, Maria Deligianni, Alexandra K. Tsaroucha
  BMC Psychology.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Factors associated with posttraumatic stress and anxiety among the parents of babies admitted to neonatal care: a systematic review
  Reem Malouf, Sian Harrison, Victoria Pilkington, Charles Opondo, Chris Gale, Alan Stein, Linda S. Franck, Fiona Alderdice
  BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef

Purpose
The aim of this study was to clarify and define the concept of nursing support as perceived by mothers of preterm infants.
Methods
The research was conducted using Schwartz-Barcott and Kim's hybrid model. Sixteen articles were analyzed during the theoretical phase. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of preterm infants in the fieldwork phase. In the final analytical phase, the attributes of nursing support were defined.
Results
There were four themes and 10 attributes of nursing support as perceived by mothers of preterm infants. Professional care and emotional care for the baby were identified as attributes of baby care support. Information related to the disease, inpatient environment, baby's daily hospital life, and mother-centered care were identified as attributes of information delivery support. Empathy for mothers and therapeutic communication with the mother were identified as attributes for mental care support. Lastly, providing a chance for the mother to take care of the baby and reinforcement of the maternal role were identified as attributes of maternal role support.
Conclusion
The 10 attributes of this study could provide a base for the development of a nursing support instrument and practical guidelines for mothers in neonatal intensive care units.

Citations

• The Effect of Breast Massage and Warm Compress Application on Milk Production and Anxiety in Mothers with Premature Newborn: A Randomized Controlled Trial
  Şeyma Ertugral Mollaahmetoglu, Gulten Guvenc
  Breastfeeding Medicine.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Transforming neonatal nursing: a randomized controlled trial comparing kangaroo care and standard protocols for survival in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome
  Osama Mohamed Elsayed Ramadan, Afrah Madyan Alshammari, Abeer Nuwayfi Alruwaili, Nadia Bassuoni Elsharkawy, Ali Alhaiti, Nagwa Ibrahim Mabrouk Baraka
  BMC Nursing.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• What matters to families about the healthcare of preterm or low birth weight infants: A qualitative evidence synthesis
  Lisa Hurt, David Odd, Mala Mann, Hannah Beetham, Emma Dorgeat, Thomas CW Isaac, Annie Ashman, Fiona Wood
  Patient Education and Counseling.2023; 115: 107893.     CrossRef
• Nurses’ strategies to provide emotional and practical support to the mothers of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  Maryam Maleki, Abbas Mardani, Celia Harding, Mohammad Hasan Basirinezhad, Mojtaba Vaismoradi
  Women's Health.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Differences in perceived parental stress between parents with very low birth weight infants and nurses in neonatal intensive care units, South Korea
  Seol-Hee Moon, Ho-Ran Park, Dong Yeon Kim
  Child Health Nursing Research.2021; 27(3): 297.     CrossRef
• The Development and Validation of a Perceived Nursing Support Scale for Mothers of Preterm Infants
  Mihae Im, Jina Oh
  Asian Nursing Research.2021; 15(5): 317.     CrossRef

Purpose
Caring for a vulnerable premature baby is a challenging task, but some mothers experience growth through that process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing post-traumatic growth in mothers with premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods
A correlational research design was used and 105 mothers of premature infants were recruited from an online community. Data were collected from January 15 to January 25, 2019. Post-traumatic growth was measured using the Korean version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression.
Results
The final model developed in this study explained 45.5% of post-traumatic growth (F=13.66, p<.001). Resilience (β=.54, p<.001) was the strongest predictor of post-traumatic growth, followed by the age of the mother when giving birth (β=.17, p=.028) and current employment status (β=.17, p=.049).
Conclusion
For mother with premature infants to grow psychologically after their experience, it may be needed to support them to develop and strengthen their resilience through either education or their own support network.

Citations

• A cross-sectional study on posttraumatic growth and influencing factors among parents of premature infants
  Wang Xingyanan, Lv Yuanhong, Liu Yang, Xiao Zhitian
  BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Differences in perceived parental stress between parents with very low birth weight infants and nurses in neonatal intensive care units, South Korea
  Seol-Hee Moon, Ho-Ran Park, Dong Yeon Kim
  Child Health Nursing Research.2021; 27(3): 297.     CrossRef
• Relationship dynamics: the protective effect of relationship satisfaction and dependency on parents’ mental health after having a preterm baby
  İlknur Okay, Çiğdem Yavuz Güler
  Health Psychology Report.2021; 9(4): 372.     CrossRef

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine how child development knowledge, child rearing knowledge, and use of healthcare services after discharge affect maternal confidence among mothers of premature infants.
Methods
Participants in this study were 55 mothers who were involved in internet communities for mothers with premature infants and 30 mothers who visited hospitals for follow up care after having their babies discharged from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in South Korea.
Results
Presence of operation history, child development and rearing knowledge, and use of healthcare service explained 12.2% of maternal confidence. Presence of operation history (β=.32, p<.05) and child development knowledge (β=.52, p<.05) were significant predictors for maternal confidence.
Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that mothers with premature infants need further education especially on motor development, developmental knowledge, and knowledge related to operations for mothers whose child had surgery in the NICU. Also information about services provided from community health services for premature infants need to be advertised and distributed.

Citations

• Development of a mobile application focusing on developmental support care for Korean infants born prematurely: a methodological study
  Ji Hyeon Park, Haeryun Cho
  Child Health Nursing Research.2022; 28(2): 112.     CrossRef
• Addressing the Needs of Mothers with Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Secondary Analysis
  Ah Rim Kim
  Asian Nursing Research.2020; 14(5): 327.     CrossRef
• Ecological predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among children from low-income families in South Korea
  Jiyoung Park, Suyon Baek
  Children and Youth Services Review.2017; 81: 238.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
Purpose of this study was to identify the effects on maternal role strain, maternal role confidence and maternal identity of a maternal role promotion program for mothers of premature infants.
METHOD
A quasi-experimental non-equivalent pre-and-post test was used to compare the two groups. The data were collected from 62 mothers from September 10. 2003 to August 30, 2004 at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) located in S. city and K. city. The maternal role promotion program was provided three times during the period from two-three days after the baby's admission to 1 month after the baby's discharge. The instruments for measurement were the Perceived Role Difficulty & Steffensmeier Scale, Self Confidence Scale and Semantic Differential Scale. Data were analyzed by means of frequency, mean and SD, x2-test and t-test.
RESULTS
There were significant differences in maternal role strain level between the experimental and control group (t=2.163, p=.035), in the maternal role confidence between the two groups(t=-5.645, p=.000) and in maternal identity between the two groups(t=-4.923, p=.000).
CONCLUSION
The results of this study indicate that the maternal role promotion program had positive effects in decreasing maternal role strain levels and increasing maternal role confidence and maternal identity.