TY - JOUR
T1 - A Comparison of Maternal and Paternal Experiences of Becoming Parents of a Very Preterm Infant
AU - Provenzi, Livio
AU - Barello, Serena
AU - Fumagalli, Monica
AU - Graffigna, Guendalina
AU - Sirgiovanni, Ida
AU - Savarese, Mariarosaria
AU - Montirosso, Rosario
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal and paternal experiences of very preterm (VPT) birth (gestational age< 32weeks) and the NICU stay.
DESIGN: Qualitative study.
SETTING: Data collection took place at parents' homes 3 to 6months after NICU discharge.
PARTICIPANTS: Ten parental couples participated in the study (20 parents). All VPT infants were healthy, without any neonatal or postnatal complications or injuries.
METHODS: Computer-assisted content analysis was used to highlight thematic clusters from parents' narratives, which were labeled through qualitative interpretation.
RESULTS: Two main dimensions (Adjustment Process to Preterm Birth and Parental Role Assumption) and three main thematic clusters (Facing the Unexpected, Learning to Parent, and Finally Back Home) described the parental experience. Mothers focused mostly on the Finally Back Home cluster, which was characterized by moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by awareness of their own maternal roles. Fathers focused mostly on the Learning to Parent cluster, which was characterized by low to moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by a limited assumption of paternal role.
CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study is unique in that we compared mothers and fathers who experienced the VPT births of their infants and described their experiences of the NICU stay. We found that the VPT birth experience for parents involves a dynamic adjustment. Differences in maternal and paternal experiences may indicate the need for tailored supportive interventions in the NICU.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal and paternal experiences of very preterm (VPT) birth (gestational age< 32weeks) and the NICU stay.
DESIGN: Qualitative study.
SETTING: Data collection took place at parents' homes 3 to 6months after NICU discharge.
PARTICIPANTS: Ten parental couples participated in the study (20 parents). All VPT infants were healthy, without any neonatal or postnatal complications or injuries.
METHODS: Computer-assisted content analysis was used to highlight thematic clusters from parents' narratives, which were labeled through qualitative interpretation.
RESULTS: Two main dimensions (Adjustment Process to Preterm Birth and Parental Role Assumption) and three main thematic clusters (Facing the Unexpected, Learning to Parent, and Finally Back Home) described the parental experience. Mothers focused mostly on the Finally Back Home cluster, which was characterized by moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by awareness of their own maternal roles. Fathers focused mostly on the Learning to Parent cluster, which was characterized by low to moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by a limited assumption of paternal role.
CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study is unique in that we compared mothers and fathers who experienced the VPT births of their infants and described their experiences of the NICU stay. We found that the VPT birth experience for parents involves a dynamic adjustment. Differences in maternal and paternal experiences may indicate the need for tailored supportive interventions in the NICU.
KW - fathers
KW - mothers
KW - neonatal intensive care unit
KW - qualitative methods
KW - very preterm birth
KW - fathers
KW - mothers
KW - neonatal intensive care unit
KW - qualitative methods
KW - very preterm birth
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/87466
U2 - 10.1016/j.jogn.2016.04.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jogn.2016.04.004
M3 - Article
SN - 1552-6909
VL - 45
SP - 528
EP - 541
JO - JOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC, AND NEONATAL NURSING
JF - JOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC, AND NEONATAL NURSING
ER -