Sleep quality of mothers of premature infants after neonatal intensive care unit discharge

Abstract

Objectives: Advanced clinical management has increased the survival rate of premature infants. Mothers of premature infants have more concerns about their infant's health, which may impair their sleep quality. This study aimed to investigate the sleep quality of Korean mothers of premature infants after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. Methods: Face-to-face interviews were conducted for 90 mothers of infants corrected aged 0-12 months who were born at <37 weeks of gestation and had been discharged from the NICU. The questionnaire consisted of the general background of mother including family, employment status and medical history of infants; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess the mother's sleep status; the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire to assess the infant's sleep status. Results: The mean global PSQI score was 8.0±4.0. In total, 70/90 mothers were identified as poor sleepers (PSQI scale >5). There was significant difference in premature infants' age, corrected age, weight, duration since NICU discharge, and frequency and duration of night waking. However, it did not show significance in maternal factor, familial background, medical condition of infant. Conclusion: Most Korean mothers of premature infants experienced poor sleep quality even after their infants were discharged. We found that mothers with good sleep quality had premature infant of older age and more body weight and longer duration since NICU discharge. These findings indicate that at least in the early stages of discharge of premature infant, sleep education for the mother of the premature infant is necessary. © 2020 Korean Academy of Sleep Medicine.