RETRACTED ARTICLE: Mothers’ experiences of caring for preterm babies at home: qualitative insights from an urban setting in a middle-income country

Abstract

Background Preterm delivery is the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of gestation. This global phenomenon is a critical issue of concern especially in developing countries that are resource-constrained when it comes to the management of preterm babies. Complications associated with prematurity contribute significantly to under-five mortality and are linked with feelings of despair, grief, and anxiety among mothers. Methods This was a qualitative descriptive study in an urban setting in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Eleven mothers whose babies had been discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit in a major hospital and resided in Accra were interviewed in their homes using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed inductively by content analysis. Results All the mothers had formal education and the mean maternal age was 27.9 years. The majority of the mothers were multiparous. The gestational age at birth ranged from 32 to 34 weeks and the average birth weight of their babies was 1.61 kg. Four major themes emerged which included: Around the clock care; mothers’ self-perceptions and attitudes of significant others; mothers’ health and wellbeing; and support. Most of the mothers experienced physical exhaustion from the extra demands involved with care, had negative emotions, and unmet social needs. Conclusions The findings indicate that home management of preterm babies poses multiple stressors and is associated with poor psychological and physical wellbeing among mothers. Hence, the need for extensive education and identification of other social support systems to augment facility-based care for mothers and their preterm babies.

Experiences of families and health professionals along the care continuum for low‐birth weight neonates: A constructivist grounded theory study

“…Like Garti et al (2021), we found that mothers were comforted and encouraged by family members, friends, religion and health professionals and confirm the quest by health professionals to have psychologists complement neonatal care teams and to set up support groups in hospitals and communities. However, in the absence of psychologists, nurses and midwives trained in family systems care (FSC), a care approach where families and healthcare providers are seen as mutually beneficial partners revolving on principles of dignity and respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration (WHO, 2019) can establish therapeutic relationships with families along the CoC (Wright & Bell, 2021;Wright & Leahey, 2013).…”

“…Studies have widely discussed the psychosocial traumas faced by mothers whose babies were admitted in neonatal wards (Al Maghaireh et al, 2016;Garti et al, 2021). The risk of neglect due to stigma and shame have been well established (Sakyi et al, 2020;Smith et al, 2017).…”

Not being able to hug our baby before the cables: Early experiences of parents with premature babies

“…In another study, it has been documented that parents were anxious about mastering baby care during discharge, and gradually developed confidence through the implementation of the home care program 48 . Mothers who have limited access to counseling and support services are more likely to engage in inadequate coping, especially if they are ill‐informed and unable to discern between their preterm babies' immediate and ongoing needs 49 . Health professionals can ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home by enhancing the parents' knowledge and skills in preterm baby care, taking into the account personal circumstances and practical needs and preparing them for discharge 50 …”

Frequency of Maternal Anemia in Patients Presenting With Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

“…Pregnant women's anemia is a major global health problem that influences both the development of the fetus and the health of the mother [ 1 ]. Preterm delivery is one of the major challenges of pregnancy and is often related to circumstances about the health of the mother [ 2 ]. Maternal anemia and preterm deliveries have been linked; this association has been studied extensively since it has significant consequences for prenatal care and newborn outcomes [ 3 ].…”