title: NICU admissions and maternal stress levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the stress levels among mothers of babies admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and to identify demographic parameters that influence their stress levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stress levels were assessed using Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS: NICU) questionnaire among 100 NICU mothers by doctors between 6 and 8 d of admission. Maternal stress was quantified using Likert scale as low (1-2.9), medium (3-3.9) and high (4-5). The data was analyzed using SPSS Ver.16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean scores for the subscales sights and sounds, looks and behaviour and alteration in the parental role were 2.55, 4.1 and 4.12 respectively. Increased maternal age, prematurity of baby, longer NICU stay and inability to directly breastfeed the baby were associated with higher stress levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NICU mothers are under significant stress and appropriate counseling targeted towards specific stressors is required.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Division, Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research JIPMER, Pondicherry 605 006, India.
authors.forename: Nitish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chourasia
authors.forename: Pushkala
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Surianarayanan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adhisivam
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vishnu Bhat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008423:Maternal Age; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011581:Psychological Tests; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology