Abstract:
Background: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization of newborns poses significant
stressors for mothers, affecting their well-being and family dynamics. Maternal stress in neonatal
intensive care units (NICUs) significantly is escalated by numerous maternal and neonatal factors which
when it is elevated affects both maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Methodology: A descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 mothers.
Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27.1 to deliver
descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests and ANOVA to explore associations between various
variables and maternal stress levels.
Results: The study on 110 mothers with neonates In NICU at Kibungo Level II teaching hospital found
that 84.6% of mothers experienced moderate stress levels during their neonate's NICU stay, with mean
stress score of 33.58 (SD = 3.465), indicate a moderate overall stress level with 15.5% of mothers
reported high stress levels. Using Chi square test, the study revealed that maternal stress levels were not
significantly associated with neonatal birth weight (χ2 = 7.555, p = 0.109) or APGAR scores (χ2 = 0.008,
p = 0.996). However, pregnancy complications were significantly linked to increased stress (χ2 = 11.508,
p = 0.175). Computing logistic regression analysis, it was concluded that low birth weight (AOR = 2.35,
p = 0.03), and lower APGAR scores (AOR = 2.10, p = 0.02) significantly predicted maternal stress.
Maternal age (AOR = 1.41, p = 0.17) and NICU history (AOR = 1.89, p = 0.042) were also key predictors
of maternal stress.
Conclusion: This study showed the critical impact of demographic factors and neonatal health indicators
in predicting maternal stress level in the NICU. Interventions aimed at supporting these mothers should
consider their unique stressors and the context of NICU hospitalization. Educational interventions and
targeted support policies are essential to alleviate maternal stress and improve overall maternal well-
being. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore additional factors influencing
maternal stress in this population, evaluate the long-term effects of stress and assess the effectiveness of
interventions in diverse cultural contexts
