Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of rooming-in for mothers and infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays and to describe the methods of rooming-in practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two infants admitted to the NICU who received rooming-in care before discharge were analyzed retrospectively. The reason for admission was low birthweight in 13 infants (59.0%), with a mean birthweight of 1,950 ± 962 g (mean ± standard deviation, here and below). Seventeen infants were the first child, constituting the majority of cases. Mean duration of NICU was 85 ± 103 days. There were 2 cases of long-term admission exceeding 6 months. Mean maternal age was 32 ± 6 years, and 20 mothers (90.9%) were married at the time of NICU admission. The most common purpose of rooming-in care was parent education (n=6, 27.3%), and there was a significant relation between anxiety about infant care and risk of child abuse. There was no significant difference between mothers and infants who roomed-in after transfer to the pediatric ward and those who roomed-in before NICU discharge except for maternal age. Our findings suggests that enhanced care support is needed, particularly for mothers of low-birthweight infants, mothers of advanced age, and primiparous mothers. We also found that transfer to the pediatric ward for rooming-in was a feasible option during a time of emerging and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
