<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Background</h3>
<p>Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPI) can have mental health implications on parents coping with this injury to their newborn. The purpose of this study was to assess the mental health of mothers with newborns with an OBPI and identify resources that can help screen and treat mental health needs.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Material and methods</h3>
<p>Three groups of mothers were prospectively given a self-reported survey: 1) Newborns with OBPI; 2) Newborns in the nursery without OBPI; 3) Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The survey consisted of demographic questions, the PHQ-9 and PCL-S screening tools, and parents’ exposure to community violence, family support and use of drugs or alcohol.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>Fifty-seven mothers were prospectively enrolled, and 30% (17/57) of mothers screened in for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). OBPI mothers had significantly higher rates of PTSD symptoms when compared to mothers of children in the full-term nursery (difference = 36.4%; p &lt; 0.01). No statistically significant difference was found between groups regarding depression symptoms.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>OBPI can be very difficult to cope with for parents and family members. Forty-two percent of mothers with newborns with OBPI or children in the NICU screened in for PTSD symptoms. OBPI clinics should be staffed similarly to the NICU with clinical social workers to appropriately screen and treat parents with PTSD and depression symptoms.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Background
Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPI) can have mental health implications on parents coping with this injury to their newborn. The purpose of this study was to assess the mental health of mothers with newborns with an OBPI and identify resources that can help screen and treat mental health needs.

Material and methods
Three groups of mothers were prospectively given a self-reported survey: 1) Newborns with OBPI; 2) Newborns in the nursery without OBPI; 3) Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The survey consisted of demographic questions, the PHQ-9 and PCL-S screening tools, and parents’ exposure to community violence, family support and use of drugs or alcohol.

Results
Fifty-seven mothers were prospectively enrolled, and 30% (17/57) of mothers screened in for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). OBPI mothers had significantly higher rates of PTSD symptoms when compared to mothers of children in the full-term nursery (difference = 36.4%; p < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was found between groups regarding depression symptoms.

Conclusions
OBPI can be very difficult to cope with for parents and family members. Forty-two percent of mothers with newborns with OBPI or children in the NICU screened in for PTSD symptoms. OBPI clinics should be staffed similarly to the NICU with clinical social workers to appropriately screen and treat parents with PTSD and depression symptoms.

The Mental Health Implications of Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injuries (OBPI) on Parents

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine

Journal of Mother and Child

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Background
Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPI) can have mental health implications on parents coping with this injury to their newborn. The purpose of...

The Mental Health Implications of Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injuries (OBPI) on Parents

Article Category: Research Article

Publié en ligne: 22 nov. 2023

Pages: 217 - 221

Reçu: 20 févr. 2023

Accepté: 03 sept. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20232701.d-23-00024

Mots clés
OBPI, parents, depression, PTSD, NICU

© 2023 Catherine Miller et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The Mental Health Implications of Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injuries (OBPI) on Parents

Article Category: Research Article

Publié en ligne: 22 nov. 2023

Pages: 217 - 221

Reçu: 20 févr. 2023

Accepté: 03 sept. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20232701.d-23-00024

Mots clésOBPI, parents, depression, PTSD, NICU

© 2023 Catherine Miller et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
OBPI, parents, depression, PTSD, NICU