Effect of educational- supportive interventions on premature infant's lentgh of hospitalization and maternal stress

The sudden unexpected delivery of a premature infant is an extreme shock to parents. Some reports have found this to be risk factor for later behavioral problems. Mothers need support and education, there are however few studies and conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nursing supportive interventions on length of hospitalization and maternal stress. This semi experimental study was carried out in Ahvaz Emam Khomeini educational hospital on 60 mothers (case: 30, control: 30) of singleton preterm infants, free of known congenital abnormality, to determine the effects of nursing supportive intervention program on length of hospitalization of preterm infants and maternal stress. Baseline data was collected in both groups one day after delivery. Intervention group received nursing supportive intervention program that was an educational- supportive program, involved the birth after discharge of preterm. Educational portion did with video and booklet within 2 to 3 sessions. At the first month of infant’s age, the parenting stress index (PSI) questionnaires were distributed among the mothers and then data were compared using SPSS software, X2 test, Mann-whitney and indepent t tests. Baseline stress in mothers was measured by stress test, but no significant difference was observed in both groups (p=0.66). After intervention, Mann-whitney test showed significant statistical difference(p=0.001).T test didnt show significant difference between two groups on the length of hospitalization. This supportive educational intervention program reduced maternal stress and had no effect on the length of hospitalization of preterm infants.