gms | German Medical Science

Background and Purpose: Women who desire to have children associate motherhood with giving birth to healthy full-term infants, to be able to bond with them easily and to best take care of them. When complications interrupt pregnancies, these women are confronted with situations that they are not prepared for. They are expected to cope with complicated births and the care of high risk infants. The unfamiliar environment of neonatal intensive care units contributes to their feelings of vulnerability. The researchers aimed to study existing research reports on the feelings of vulnerability of mothers of preterm infants.

Methods: A systematic review of literature was carried out through a computerized search strategy to identify research reports (articles) in which ‘preterm births’, ‘becoming mothers’ and ‘vulnerability’ featured.

Results: The feelings of vulnerability that the women experienced in the selected research reports related to their own perceptions of becoming mothers of preterm infants and to their relationship with others. They developed perceptions of ‘being good mothers’ when significant others approved their mothering skills. Giving preterm birth and having to care for high risk infants cause women to have feelings of vulnerability. They doubt their own mothering capabilities and have to live up to the expectations of others.

Conclusions: Opportunities for the development of reciprocal interaction between mother and infant should be the overarching goal of care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Disclosures: The researchers declare that there is no conflict of interest and that no funding was received.