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Am J Perinatol 2021; 38(09): 909-913
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3402750
Original Article

Fathers' Visitation of Very Low Birth Weight Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the First Week of Life

Khushbu Patel
1   Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
,
Lindsay Cortright
1   Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
,
Dmitry Tumin
1   Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
,
John A. Kohler  Sr
1   Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
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Abstract

Objective The perceived fragility of extremely preterm neonates may deter paternal visitation early during the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay. We retrospectively analyzed the correlation between paternal visitation of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in our NICU and sociodemographic characteristics.

Study Design We identified inborn VLBW infants admitted to our NICU from 2017 to 2018. The rate of visit days in the first week of life was analyzed using Spearman's correlation and Poisson's regression.

Results The analysis included 292 infants (median gestational age [GA]: 29 weeks), with fathers present on a median of 3 days of the first week of life. GA was not correlated with visitation (rho = –0.04). On multivariable regression, fathers visited less frequently if they did not live with the mother or if the mother lived 25 to 75 km from the hospital versus < 25 km.

Conclusion Fathers' visitation in our NICU was constrained by socioeconomic factors rather than VLBW infants' characteristics.

Keywords

visitation - fatherhood - neonatal intensive care unit - VLBW


Publication History

Received: 21 August 2019

Accepted: 05 December 2019

Article published online:
07 January 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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