Research Article

Anxiety appraisal in mothers of preterm neonates admitted in critical care unit

Rafia Gul, Samer Fatima, Samina Khurshid, Sidra Niamat, Zahid Anwar, Saher Gul Ahdi

Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research · Vol. 9, No. 1 · Pages 35–41 · Published January 23, 2025
DOI: 10.26502/acbr.50170432

Maternal Anxiety in the NICU: In Brief

Maternal anxiety is common when a baby is born early and needs intensive care, and it is natural for a mother to feel worried. Sometimes that worry becomes anxiety that affects her health and her bond with her baby, yet it often goes unnoticed. This study screened 430 mothers of premature babies to see how common anxiety was and which mothers were most at risk.

Key Points

• A descriptive cross-sectional study of 430 mothers of preterm neonates in the level-III neonatal unit of Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, from July 2021 to July 2023.
• Mothers were screened with the 31-item Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS). About 28% (121 of 430) had anxiety: 19% mild to moderate and 9% severe.
• Birth before 32 weeks (especially before 28 weeks), first-time motherhood and a small for gestational age (SGA) baby were the strongest independent risk factors.
• Living in an extended family system was protective and lowered the chance of maternal anxiety.

What This Means for Parents

If your baby is in the NICU, feeling anxious is normal, and you are not alone: in this study more than one in four mothers felt this way. Mothers of very early babies, first-time mothers and mothers of small babies were most at risk, while support from the wider family helped. Ask the NICU team to explain your baby’s care, spend time with your baby when you can, and let family members share the load. If worry stops you sleeping or eating, or feels overwhelming, tell your doctor or nurse, because help is available and caring for yourself also helps your baby. Ongoing Preemie Care after discharge supports the whole family.

Maternal AnxietyPremature BabiesNICUPerinatal Anxiety (PASS)Small for Gestational AgeFamily Support

Published in Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research, Vol. 9, No. 1 (2025), Research Article. Open Access under CC BY 4.0. PDF shared by the authors.