Turkish Archives of Pediatrics
Original Article

The Factors Affecting the Postnatal Bonding of Mothers Whose Babies were Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

1.

Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

2.

Department of Public Health, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

3.

Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

4.

Marmara University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology

Turk Arch Pediatr 2023; 58: 256-261
DOI: 10.5152/TurkArchPediatr.2023.22104
Read: 795 Downloads: 361 Published: 01 May 2023

Objective: COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for sick preterm babies and their parents. This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the postnatal bonding of mothers who were not permitted to visit and touch their babies who were in the neonatal intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods: This is a cohort study conducted in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Turkey. The participants consisted of mothers who were offered full rooming in with their baby (group 1, n = 32) and mothers whose newborns had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit immediately after delivery and were hospitalized for at least 7 days (group 2, n = 44). The Turkish versions of Beck Anxiety Inventory, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, Adjustment Disorder–New Module 8, and Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire were applied to mothers. Tests were performed once in group 1 at the end of the first postpartum week (test1) and twice in group 2 before the baby was discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (test1) and 2 weeks after the discharge (test2).

Results: None of the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, Adjustment Disorder–New Module 8, and Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire scores was abnormal. Although the scales were within normal ranges, Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire 1 and Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire 2 had statistically significant correlation with gestational week (r = −0.230, P = .046; r = −0.298, P = .009), Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale score (r = 0.256, P = .025; r = 0.331, P = .004), hospitalization (r = 0.280, P = .014; r = 0.501, P < .001), and neonatal intensive care unit anxiety (r = 0.266, P = .02; r = 0.54, P < .001). Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire 2 had statistically significant correlation with birth weight (r = −0.261, P = .023).

Conclusion: Low gestational week and birth weight, increased maternal age, maternal anxiety, high Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale scores and hospitalization negatively affected maternal bonding. Although all self-reporting scale scores were low, being in the neonatal intensive care unit and not being able to visit (touch) the baby is a major stressor.

Cite this article as: Gülcan Kersin S, Topuzoğlu A, Bilgen HS, Özek E. The factors affecting the postnatal bonding of mothers whose babies were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2023;58(3):256-261.

Files
EISSN 2757-6256