Maternal Stressful Experience in Giving Birth to Premature Baby in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Ward

AIM: This study aimed to determine the stressor of mothers whose baby was treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) ward and identify the demography parameter which affected the stressor.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done in four hospitals in Makassar City. Stressor was evaluated using Parental Scale Stressor (PSS): NICU. Samples were taken consecutively for 30 babies treated in NICU ward for more than 24 h.
RESULTS: On the average, the mothers’ stressors were the situation and view of NICU (2.87), appearance and behavior of the baby (2.78), the role of parents (2.74), and communication relationship between the parents and nurse (2.80). Meanwhile, demography factors (maternal age, age of pregnancy, parity, and experience) did not affect the maternal stress statistically.
CONCLUSION: Premature babies who are treated in NICU ward can be the source of maternal stress, thus provision of education to the mothers can decrease the stress.