ArticlePloS one2021
Starting parenting in isolation a qualitative user-initiated study of parents' experiences with hospitalization in Neonatal Intensive Care units during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Maternal care for preterm infants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative systematic review.Cadernos de saude publica · 2025Pooled it
- Impact of restricted family presence during the COVID-19 pandemic on critically ill patients, families, and critical care clinicians: a qualitative systematic review.BMC health services research · 2024Pooled it
- Investigating the Correlation of Stress of Parents of Premature Children in a Neonatal Unit with Ways of Coping and the Conditions of Visiting NICU Due to Covid-19 Isolation.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026Article
- Trajectory of parental health-related quality of life after neonatal hospitalization - a prospective cohort study.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2025Article
- Uncertainties and contradictions experienced by women with COVID-19 during childbirth/birth and the postpartum period.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2025Article
- Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Stress Levels among the Mothers of Premature Infants? A Narrative Review of the Present State of Knowledge, Prevention Strategies, and Future Directions.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Review
- Pregnant and postpartum women's experiences of the indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in high-income countries: a qualitative evidence synthesis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
- Article
- Examining How Postpartum Videoconferencing Support Sessions Can Facilitate Connections between Parents: A Poststructural and Sociomaterial Analysis.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2024Article
- "There's an Etiquette to Zoom That's Not Really Present In-Person": A Qualitative Study Showing How the Mute Button Shapes Virtual Postpartum Support for New Parents.Qualitative health research · 2023Article
- Article
- The Impact of Parental Presence Restrictions on Canadian Parents in the NICU During COVID-19: A National Survey.Journal of family nursing · 2023Article
- Learning from parental experience in a neonatal surgical unit: a qualitative service evaluation.World journal of pediatric surgery · 2023Article
- Psychosocial Difficulties Experienced By Parents Of Babies Treated In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During The Coronavirus Pandemic.Archives of psychiatric nursing · 2022Article
- Social Responsibility and Commitment to Children; Pediatric Nurses' Experiences With Redeployment During the First Wave of COVID-19: A Qualitative Study.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWorldwide, strict infection control measures including visitation regulations were implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic at Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). These regulations gave restricted access for parents to their hospitalized infants. The consequence was limited ability to involve in the care of their infants. At Oslo University Hospital entry to NICU was denied to all except healthy mothers in March 2020. The absolute access ban for fathers lasted for 10 weeks. The aim of this study was to explore parental experiences with an infant hospitalized in the NICU during this absolute visitation ban period.
methodsWe invited post discharge all parents of surviving infants that had been hospitalized for at least 14 days to participate. They were interviewed during autumn 2020 using an explorative semi-structured interview approach. Data were analyzed via inductive thematic analysis.
resultsNine mothers and four fathers participated. The COVID-19 regulations strongly impacted the parent's experiences of their stay. The fathers' limited access felt life-impacting. Parents struggled to become a family and raised their voices to be heard. Not being able to experience parenthood together led to emotional loneliness. The fathers struggled to learn how to care for their infant. The regulations might lead to a postponed attachment. On the other hand, of positive aspect the parents got some quietness. Being hospitalized during this first wave was experienced as exceptional and made parents seeking alliances by other parents. Social media was used to keep in contact with the outside world.
conclusionsThe regulations had strong negative impact on parental experiences during the NICU hospitalization. The restriction to fathers' access to the NICU acted as a significant obstacle to early infant-father bonding and led to loneliness and isolation by the mothers. Thus, these COVID-19 measures might have had adverse consequences for families.
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