Parent and grandparent neonatal intensive care unit visitation for preterm infants

Abstract

Objective: Characterize family NICU visitation and examine associations with maternal health and social factors and infant health outcomes. Study design: Retrospective cohort study of 167 infants born ≤32 weeks at two urban NICUs 01/2019-03/2020. Average nurse-documented family member visitation and associations of visitation with maternal and infant factors and outcomes were compared. Results: Mothers visited 4.4 days/week, fathers 2.6 days/week, and grandparents 0.4 days/week. Older maternal age, nulliparity, and non-English primary language were associated with more frequent family visitation. Mothers with depression or anxiety history visited less. Maternal depression and public insurance were associated with fewer father visits. Low parental visitation was associated with lower odds of feeding any maternal milk at discharge and low maternal visitation with 11.5% fewer completed infant subspecialty appointments in the year following discharge (95% CI −20.0%, −3.0%). Conclusion: Families with social disadvantage visited less often. Parental visitation was associated with infant feeding and follow-up.