[Neonatal cleft lip repair: psychological impact on mothers].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the psychological impact on mothers of an early neonatal cleft lip repair.


METHODS
Between January and December 2004 mothers of 24 infants born with a cleft lip completed psychological interviews and questionnaires 1 month after neonatal repair. We evaluated the psychological impact on mothers of antenatal and postnatal diagnosis. We noted the parental preferences for the timing of cleft repair and their satisfaction after neonatal repair.


RESULTS
Stress, incomprehension and anxiety were often noted. Most mothers preferred their infant to receive neonatal repair. We noted a great satisfaction after neonatal cleft lip repair.


CONCLUSIONS
We are currently encouraging early repair in the full-term baby as the optimum, reliable and safe method of management of newborns with cleft lip. Mothers expressed a preference for and greater satisfaction with neonatal repair. Parental preferences should routinely be considered in deciding the timing of this procedure.
Département Médicochirurgical de Pédiatrie, CHU de Poitiers, France. j.mcheik@chu-poitiers.fr
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JN
McHeik
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Levard
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology