Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34797109›Full record

ArticleThe South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir Kommunikasieafwykings2021

Vulnerable mothers' experience of feeding their preterm infant in neonatal care.

Elanie A Van Schalkwyk, Berna Gerber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir Kommunikasieafwykings, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Feeding and swallowing difficulties in previously hospitalised premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: Perspectives from South African caregivers.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir Kommunikasieafwykings · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Elanie A Van SchalkwykDepartment of Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town. elanie789@gmail.com.
Berna Gerber

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWorldwide, preterm birth is a rising threat to maternal and child health. The universal challenges of being the mother of a preterm infant, combined with context-specific challenges such as poverty and poor linguistic and cultural representation, bring about risks for both mother and infant. This includes poor maternal mental health; poor mother-infant bonding and attachment and potential suboptimal developmental outcomes for the infant.

objectiveThis article describes how Afrikaans-speaking mothers living in poverty experienced feeding their preterm infants in neonatal care.

methodThe study implemented a cross-sectional, qualitative design. Mothers of preterm infants (chronological ages between 3 and 6 months) were selected through a purposive sampling method and participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Nine interviews were thematically analysed. The participants were a vulnerable group, about whom little research literature was available.

resultsFeeding was perceived as a progressive task that worked towards the goal of discharge from the hospital. It was stressful because of various factors, but insufficient breastmilk supply was a significant contributor. The hospital setting was perceived as something that added to the participants' anxiety surrounding feeding, but at the same time, it had the potential to decrease their anxiety. When the mother-infant dyad was able to breastfeed successfully, it made the participants feel like mothers at last after an extended period of anticipation.

conclusionFeeding their preterm infant was a prominent experience for the mothers, especially whilst in neonatal care. Increased feeding support is required from the healthcare team providing neonatal care in order to optimally use the neonatal period.

Indexed as

Infant, PrematurePremature BirthChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMothersPregnancyQualitative Researchbreastfeedingexperiencesfeedingneonatal carepreterm infantsvulnerable mothers

Identifiers

PMID34797109
PMCPMC8603148

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.