Psychological Impact on Mothers with Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease:a multicenter report

Abstract

Background: The prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been increasing rapidly in recent years in Japan.This study sets out to understand the psychological impact and needs of mothers diagnosed with this condition.
Method: We focused on mothers who had a prenatal diagnosis of fetal CHD and are currently visiting the hospital for treatment.Six hospitals across Japan are involved in this study. We used the Japanese version of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and a requirements analysis created specifically for this study, both of which are multiple choice and free text questionnaires. The study is approved by each institutionʼs Ethical Review Board.
Results: A total of 241 returned questionnaires were analyzed in this study. The PSI score was high in the category of "feeling there is a problem with the child" and "discouragement after hospital discharge" (i.e. the mother felt highly stressed). On the other hand, the score was low for "relationship with the husband". Also, the mothers whose PSI score was high significantly required "attendance of staff other than doctors" (P = 0.023). They also significantly required "being able to request help (consult) when anxious" (P = 0.029) and "peer counseling" (P = 0.048). There was no significant difference in the PSI score of mothers with children affected by severe CHD.
Conclusions: Mothers who had a prenatal diagnosis subsequently showed a high degree of stress on account of their feelings regarding the childʼs condition. On the other hand, it was inferred that the relationship with their husband was good as child care was carried out jointly. Also, the mothers under a lot of stress need staff or peer counselors whom they can talk to during or after the examination. It was found that the severity of the CHD is not proportional to the degree of their stress. The study revealed the details of diagnosed mothersʼ stress and requirements. We hope therefore that it will be useful for supporting mothers who receive a prenatal diagnosis.