A qualitative study of stressors experienced by mothers of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit

Aim Mothers of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often experience significant psychological distress due to various factors associated with their infant's hospitalization. Understanding these stressors is essential for appropriate support in clinical practice. This study aimed to identify the stressors experienced by mothers of infants hospitalized in Japanese NICUs. Methods This study employed a purposive sampling approach. First, perinatal medical centers across Japan were approached based on feasibility and relevance to the study aim, and facilities that agreed to participate assisted in distributing recruitment flyers. Semistructured interviews were conducted between November 2024 and March 2025 with 11 mothers of infants hospitalized in the NICU. The narratives obtained from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative inductive analysis. Results The analysis yielded six categories, 20 subcategories, and 261 codes. These six categories of maternal stressors reflected challenges in maintaining daily life while visiting the NICU, the unit's physical environment, emotional reactions to the infant's condition, restrictions on maternal roles, sources of reassurance within the unit, and stress arising from interactions with healthcare providers. Conclusion Mothers experience stressors not only from the hospital environment and relationships with staff, but also from their infant's presence, indicating that all surroundings can be potential stressors. These stressors arise during visits and in daily life, underscoring the importance of a comprehensive perspective among medical professionals.