Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Stress Levels among the Mothers of Premature Infants? A Narrative Review of the Present State of Knowledge, Prevention Strategies, and Future Directions

Understanding COVID-19's effects on susceptible populations remains essential for clinical implementations. Our review aimed to examine whether the pandemic significantly impacted the stress levels in the mothers of premature infants in NICUs. The review of the literature from Google Scholar an...

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Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2024-08, Vol.21 (8), p.1095
Main Authors: Trześniowska, Agata, Wagner, Emilia, Ściseł, Alicja, Szymańska, Kinga, Szyprowski, Karol, Kimber-Trojnar, Żaneta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 - prevention & control
COVID-19 - psychology
Depression - epidemiology
Depression - psychology
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Mental depression
Mothers - psychology
Pandemics
Premature babies
Premature birth
Review
SARS-CoV-2
Stress, Psychological - epidemiology
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Summary:Understanding COVID-19's effects on susceptible populations remains essential for clinical implementations. Our review aimed to examine whether the pandemic significantly impacted the stress levels in the mothers of premature infants in NICUs. The review of the literature from Google Scholar and PubMed resulted in identifying specific stressors such as the disruption of healthcare systems, limited access to neonatal care, uncertainty due to frequent changes in restrictions, the risk of COVID-19 infection, social isolation, and financial stress. While some quantitative studies concerning this topic did not show a significant increase in the perception of stress in this population compared to the pre-pandemic group, various research has indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic may result in enduring impacts on the emotional and neurological development of children. This article demonstrates a correlation between the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and an elevated incidence of depressive symptoms among the mothers of premature infants. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term impact of pandemic-induced stress.
ISSN:1661-7827
1660-4601
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph21081095