A study to assess the effectiveness of midwife-led psychoeducation programs among mothers of neonates admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit at maternity tertiary care hospital, Chennai

INTRODUCTION: New motherhood involves many abrupt changes and is recognized as a stressful life event. Parents of newborn admitted at NICU are believed to experience heightened distress compared to the parents of a healthy infant, insecure attachment style has been reported that is related to depression but its relationship to depression in mothers whose newborn are admitted to NICU is largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the pretest level of depression and stress among mothers of neonates in both the control and experimental group admitted in the Neonatal intensive care unit. 2. To determine the effectiveness of psychoeducation program on depression and stress among mothers of neonates admitted in the Neonatal intensive care unit in the experimental group. 3. To compare the pre-test and post-test level of depression and stress among mothers of neonates admitted in the Neonatal intensive care unit both experimental and control group. 4. To find out the association between post -test level of depression and stress among mothers of neonates with their selected demographic variables admitted in the Neonatal intensive care unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study Quantitative approach and Quasi-experimental Non-randomized control group design was selected. The study was conducted in the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Govt. Hospital for women and Children, Egmore Chennai. A total of 60 postnatal mothers whose babies admitted in NICU was selected for this study by using a non-probability convenient sampling technique. A structured multiple-choice questionnaire, Edinburgh postnatal depression scale and Postpartum distress measure by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were utilized. RESULTS: The finding of the study reveals that regarding depression on a comparison between pre-test and post-test depression among the experimental group, t=11.35 and it was statistically significant with p value=0.001. The mean difference between pre-test and post-test among the experimental group was 25.77% (95% CI 21.13%-30.43%). On the comparison between pre-test and post-test level stress among the experimental group, it was t=13.53 and statistically significant with p value=0.001 level of stress. The mean difference between pre-test and post-test among the experimental group; 24.33% (95% CI 21.50%-27.17%) and shows the effectiveness of psychoeducation for the mothers. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that families are psychologically vulnerable after the birth of a sick or premature newborn. When their baby stays in NICU, mothers usually feel powerless and helpless. Therefore, they may be more stressed and vulnerable to emotional difficulties than mothers of full-term babies. So the mothers need more attention and guidance. Psychoeducation is one of the was effective approach in reducing the level of depression and stress among postnatal mothers. This will help in improving the mental health of the postnatal mothers whose babies admitted in NICU and the wellbeing of the child