Quality of life in parents of preterm infants in a randomized nutritional intervention trial

Effects of web neonatal intensive care unit diaries on the mental health, quality of life, sleep quality, care ability, and hormone levels of parents of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effects of web neonatal intensive care unit diaries on the mental health, quality of life, sleep quality, care ability, and hormone levels of parents of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized controlled parallel-group clinical trial.

SETTING

Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Fujian, China.

METHODS

The control group received routine neonatal intensive care unit care, while the intervention group received a web neonatal intensive care unit diary based on routine care. Outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, quality of life, sleep quality, care ability, and cortisol and melatonin levels, were evaluated at T1 (Time 1, before the intervention), T2 (Time 2, immediately after the intervention), and T3 (Time 3, 1 month after the intervention).

RESULTS

Seventy pairs of parents of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit were randomly allocated to two groups: intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 35). The anxiety scores in the intervention group were significantly lower at T2 and T3 than those in the control group (P < 0.001). The care ability scores in the intervention group were significantly higher at T2 and T3 (P < 0.001). The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder at T3 was significantly different between the groups (P = 0.040). No significant differences were observed in the quality of life or sleep quality between the groups at T2 and T3 (P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in cortisol and melatonin levels between the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Web neonatal intensive care unit diaries effectively relieved anxiety symptoms, reduced the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, and enhanced the care abilities of parents of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Web neonatal intensive care unit diary can be considered in clinical practice as a convenient psychological intervention method, especially among parents of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Prematurity has no impact on the quality of parents' sleep 6 months after birth

AIM

Due to the stress that is classically associated with the premature birth of a child, these parents may be prone to sleep disorders. The aim of this study was to compare sleep quality of preterm infants' parents with that of term infants' parents.

METHODS

Prospective observational cohort study conducted at the University Hospital of Brest between January 2019 and January 2021. The primary outcome criterion was the score obtained by the parents on the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) 6 months after their child's birth. Each parent was recruited in the days following their child's birth and completed the PSQI online.

RESULTS

Overall, 316 parents were included. The median gestational age at birth was 34.3 (31.6-35.5) weeks in the preterm infant group and 39.7 (38.6-40.7) weeks in the term infant group. Of the 948 expected questionnaires, 771 were completed and collected. On average, 59% of the parents obtained a PSQI global score >5. Six months after birth, no differences were reported between parents of preterm and full-term infants.

CONCLUSION

This study did not reveal any difference between sleep quality of preterm infants' parents and term infants' parents.

Validation of a short version of the Lee fatigue scale in adults living in Norway: a cross-sectional population survey

BACKGROUND

Due to the nature of fatigue, a brief reliable measure of fatigue severity is needed. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate a short version of the Lee Fatigue Scale (LFS) in the Norwegian general population.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey consists of a representative sample from the Norwegian population drawn by The National Population Register in Norway. The study is part of a larger study (NORPOP) aimed at collecting normative data from several questionnaires focused on health in adults living in Norway. Registered citizens between 18 and 94 years of age were randomly selected stratified by age, sex and geographic region. Of the 4971 respondents eligible for the study, 1792 (36%) responded to the survey. In addition to age and sex, we collected responses on a 5-item version of the LFS measuring current fatige severity. The psychometric properties focusing on internal structure and precision of the LFS items were analyzed by a Rasch rating scale model.

RESULTS

Complete LFS scores for analyses were available for 1767 adults. Women had higher LFS-scores than men, and adults < 55 years old had higher scores than older respondents. Our analysis of the LFS showed that the average category on each item advanced monotonically. Two of the five items demonstrated misfit, while the three other items demonstrated goodness-of-fit to the model and uni-dimensionality. Items #1 and #4 (tired and fatigue respectively) showed differential item functioning (DIF) by sex, but no items showed DIFs in relation to age. The separation index of the LFS 3-item scale showed that the sample could be separated into three different groups according to the respondents' fatigue levels. The LFS-3 raw scores correlated strongly with the Rasch measure from the three items. The core dimensions in these individual items were very similarly expressed in the Norwegian language version and this may be a threat to the cultural-related or language validity of a short version of the LFS using these particular items.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides validation of a short LFS 3-item version for estimating fatigue in the general population.

Maternal Resilience and Postpartum Depression at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background

The neonatal intensive care unit causes maternal stress and postpartum depressive symptoms in preterm and term mothers. Personal resources like maternal resilience are usually not considered in counselling these women.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the resilience and differences in postpartum depression after admission of newborns at the neonatal intensive care unit.

Methods

This prospective pilot study was conducted in a single teaching hospital in Austria from December 2016 until December 2018. Sixty women completed two internationally validated questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to evaluate depressive symptoms and the Resilience Scale RS-13 to measure maternal resilience during the postpartum period (3 to 10 days postpartum). Additionally, women answered two open questions about burdens and relief.

Results

Twenty women (34%) showed lower resilience scores. The 39 high-resilient women (66%) showed significantly less depression (p = 0.005). Women reported social support from their partner (n = 15), health professionals and psychologists (n = 15), family and friends (n = 12), and child-specific relief, e.g., spending time with the newborn and involvement in care (n = 7) as the most helpful variable during the first postpartum period.

Conclusion

The experience of having a newborn at the neonatal intensive care unit is a challenging event for women. Women have different resilience parameters. Mothers with lower resilience will benefit from social support and emotional health-promoting activities.

Implementing music therapy in a Norwegian neonatal intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) music therapy is an emerging discipline. There is a growing evidence base supporting its use, with an emphasis on the immediate and short-term positive effects on infants' physiological responses and parents' experiences.

AIM

To explore the implementation of music therapy aligned with standards of neonatal care and as an integral part of the care routinely provided in a Norwegian NICU.

METHOD

Parents of infants hospitalised in the NICU were offered music therapy sessions based on the First Sounds: Rhythm, Breath and Lullaby model. Before discharge from the NICU, parents were asked to complete an electronic survey about their experiences of music therapy. Nurses' feedback and observations were also elicited and collected.

FINDINGS

A total of 16 parents completed the survey. Overall, their experiences of music therapy were positive, and they noted several benefits for themselves and their infant. In addition, nurses observed that parents' interactions with their infant increased after participation in music therapy. However, nurses reported it was challenging to invite parents to participate in music therapy at a time of uncertainty, anxiety and grief. Nurses also found it challenging to disseminate information about music therapy to parents from other cultures. Furthermore, it was identified that most parents learned about the music therapy sessions from the music therapist, rather than from NICU medical or nursing staff, which indicates that music therapy was not fully integrated among the unit's multidisciplinary team.

CONCLUSION

Music therapy can reinforce family-centred care and promote parent-infant bonding, but additional efforts are required to integrate it into the care routinely provided by the NICU multidisciplinary team.

Effects of nutrition therapy on growth, inflammation and metabolism in immature infants: a study protocol of a double-blind randomized controlled trial (ImNuT)

Background

Current nutritional management of infants born very preterm results in significant deficiency of the essential fatty acids (FAs) arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The impact of this deficit on brain maturation and inflammation mediated neonatal morbidities are unknown. The aim of this study is to determine whether early supply of ARA and DHA improves brain maturation and neonatal outcomes in infants born before 29 weeks of gestation.

Methods

Infants born at Oslo University Hospital are eligible to participate in this double-blind randomized controlled trial. Study participants are randomized to receive an enteral FA supplement of either 0.4 ml/kg MCT-oil™ (medium chain triglycerides) or 0.4 ml/kg Formulaid™ (100 mg/kg of ARA and 50 mg/kg of DHA). The FA supplement is given from the second day of life to 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age (PMA). The primary outcome is brain maturation assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at term equivalent age. Secondary outcomes include quality of growth, incidence of neonatal morbidities, cardiovascular health and neuro-development. Target sample size is 120 infants (60 per group), this will provide 80% power to detect a 0.04 difference in mean diffusivity (MD, mm²/sec) in major white matter tracts on MRI.

Discussion

Supplementation of ARA and DHA has the potential to improve brain maturation and reduce inflammation related diseases. This study is expected to provide valuable information for future nutritional guidelines for preterm infants.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT03555019. Registered 4 October 2018- Retrospectively registered.

Sleep in parents of preterm infants: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Sleep disruption during the first postpartum year is associated with several negative health outcomes including postpartum depression. Such disruption may be a greater issue for parents of preterm neonates, yet literature on this subject has not been critically reviewed.

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize literature on sleep quantity, sleep quality, and factors influencing sleep among parents of preterm infants during infant hospitalization and following discharge.

DESIGN

A systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from their inception to February 2017.

METHODS

Potentially eligible citations were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were eligible for inclusion. Data on eligible studies and review outcomes were extracted using a customized form.

FINDINGS

Eighteen reports from 16 studies met inclusion criteria. Four studies included a control group of parents of full-term infants. Three studies reported sleep quantity means, of which only one provided values for an exclusive sample of mothers of preterm infants and found on average, mothers obtained 6.3 h of sleep/day in the first 5-10 days. Twelve studies reported on sleep quality; most (n = 10) relied on self-reported measures and identified poor subjective sleep quality whereas two studies objectively measured sleep of poor quality. Parental stress was the most consistent factor associated with sleep quality.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Quality and quantity of sleep among parents of preterm infants is inadequate and may negatively influence family health outcomes. Further research on correlates and changes in sleep is required to identify at-risk parents and inform targeted clinical recommendations and interventions aimed at maximizing sleep for parents of preterm infants.

A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Norwegian Parents of Very Low Birthweight Infants Enrolled in a Randomized Nutritional Trial

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine how parents of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants experienced having their newborn infant enrolled in a randomized controlled intervention trial (RCT).

DESIGN AND METHODS

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 15 parents of 9 participating VLBW infants. The data were then made the object of an inductive qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The parents expressed trust in the competence and motivation of the researchers and were confident that participating in the project would do no harm, but instead would potentially benefit their infant. The parents felt privileged for being given the chance to participate, to commit to the project; they were willing to invest their time and effort in the project. Participation could be stressful for the parents, ranging from minor irritation to situations in which they felt overwhelmed and not entirely in control. Many families lived stressful lives, and participation, particularly the follow-up after being discharged, may have added to this.

CONCLUSIONS

Infant participation in an RCT can be a positive experience, making the parents feel that they are given a chance to both contribute and receive something special. Participation can also be stressful because of conditions both related and unrelated to the RCT.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

We identified several issues that researchers in future trials with VLBW infants need to address to minimize parental stress. Recruitment to intervention studies within the immediate period around birth should be avoided, if possible.

Waking up too early - the consequences of preterm birth on sleep development

Good quality sleep of sufficient duration is vital for optimal physiological function and our health. Sleep deprivation is associated with impaired neurocognitive function and emotional control, and increases the risk for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity and cancer. Sleep develops during fetal life with the emergence of a recognisable pattern of sleep states in the preterm fetus associated with the development, maturation and connectivity within neural networks in the brain. Despite the physiological importance of sleep, surprisingly little is known about how sleep develops in individuals born preterm. Globally, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm (<37 weeks gestation) each year, and these babies are at significant risk of neural injury and impaired brain development. This review discusses how sleep develops during fetal and neonatal life, how preterm birth impacts on sleep development to adulthood, and the factors which may contribute to impaired brain and sleep development, leading to altered neurocognitive, behavioural and motor capabilities in the infant and child. Going forward, the challenge is to identify specific risk factors for impaired sleep development in preterm babies to allow for the design of interventions that will improve the quality and quantity of sleep throughout life.

Hope in Parents of Very-Low Birth Weight Infants and its Association with Parenting Stress and Quality of Life

PURPOSE

Being a parent of a very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant can be stressful. We aimed to describe parental hope 42months after the birth of a VLBW infant and determine whether there is an association between hope and parenting stress with quality of life (QoL), respectively.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Fifty-nine parents of VLBW infants completed questionnaires about hope, parenting stress and QoL. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between the selected variables. To compare groups, t-test was used and Cohen's d for effect size was calculated.

RESULTS

Parents of VLBW infants were more hopeful than the general population (p<0.001). Parenting stress and hope were both independently associated with QoL (p<0.001). The subgroup of parents of infants with birth weight <1000g had less hope (p=0.041) and higher parenting stress (p=0.041) than parents of infants with birth weight 1000-1500g.

CONCLUSIONS

Hope and parenting stress were both independent determinants of QoL. Parents of the presumably sickest infants had less hope and higher parenting stress than parents of VLBW infants with a birth weight over 1000g. Hope should be further explored as a coping mechanism in parents of VLBW infants.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The clinical implications of the strong association between hope, parenting stress and QoL remain to be determined, but reducing stress and strengthening hope seem to be important. This should be taken into account both at hospital discharge and at follow-up, especially for lower-birth-weight infants.

Quality of life among parents of preterm infants: a scoping review

PURPOSE

To synthesize the body of knowledge on the factors influencing the QoL of mothers and fathers of preterm infants.

METHODS

A scoping review was performed. Publications indexed in PubMed®, Web of Science™, CINAHL® and PsycINFO® were searched, targeting studies presenting original empirical data that examined parental perception on QoL after a preterm delivery. Eligibility and data extraction were conducted by two independent researchers. The main quantitative findings were synthesized and qualitative data were explored by content analysis.

RESULTS

The studies, 11 quantitative and 1 mixed methods, were derived mainly from the USA (n = 6). Heterogeneity across the studies was observed regarding the operationalization of QoL and the use of units of analysis (mothers, parents, families and caregivers). In a context where 40 out of 45 covariates were analysed by only one or two studies, results suggested that parental QoL after a preterm delivery is influenced by factors related with mother's characteristics, family issues and health care environment rather than infants' variables. Factors regarding fathers' characteristics and structural levels were not addressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Standardizing the operationalization of the QoL when analysing mothers and fathers of preterm infants calls for a structured questionnaire adapted to their specific needs. Further research should include both mothers and fathers, invest in mixed methods approaches and be performed in different countries and settings for allowing integration and comparison of findings.