Investigation of changes in the rhythm of daily life and the physical and psychological health of mothers following the discharge of their low-birth-rate infants from hospital

2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15592301
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Clinical nursing
• Research Institution: SEIREI CHRISTOPHER UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: FUJIMOTO Eiko SEIREI CHRISTOPHER UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF NURSING, PROFESSOR, 看護学部, 教授 (80199364)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KURONO Tomoko SEIREI CHRISTOPHER UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF NURSING, LECTURER, 看護学部, 講師 (10267875) ; TADA Natsuko SEIREI CHRISTOPHER UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF NURSING, ASSISTANT, 看護学部, 助手 (00340117)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2005
• Keywords: low-birth-weight infant / rhythm of daily life / postpartum health / fatigue

Research Abstract

In order to clarify the formation process of the rhythm of the daily life of mothers and low-birth-weight infants (LBW infant), 8 mothers of LBW infants participated in interviews conducted approximately one week before being discharged from NICU, and at 1 month of corrected age. The birth weight of the LBW infants ranged from 795 g to 1,788 g with a mean weight of 1,383 g (SD=361 g). The gestational age at birth ranged from 24 weeks and 6 days to 37 weeks and 3 days with a mean of 31 weeks and 5 days. The following results were obtained :
1)Approximately half of the mothers experienced physical symptoms, such as "fatigue," "headache," "headache dull," "tinnitus," "dizziness," and "light headedness," which appeared in the early postpartum period, and lasted until approximately the time when the LBW infants were discharged from the NICU. 2)More than half of the mothers who experienced physical symptoms also experienced psychological symptoms, such as "anxiety," "nervousness," "emotional weakness," and "depression." 3)In the daily life of mothers with LBW infants at a corrected age of less than one month, they spent most of their "feeding" and "dealing with a crying infant," and other activities of mothers, such as "sleeping," "eating," and "bathing," were performed irregularly in between. All primiparous women were supported by their mothers ; thus, it was found that they performed few domestic duties. 4)Most mothers of the LBW infants who were discharged from hospital within one month had a daily life that corresponded with the sleep-wake cycle and feeding intervals of the infants. 5)The present findings suggest that the following factors affect the lifestyle of mothers : the type of feeding, feeding performance, dealing with a crying and agitated baby, recognizing the health status of the infant, recognizing their own health status, the degree of support for domestic duties, taking care of older children, and the relationship with the husband.