Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Stress Levels among the Mothers of Premature Infants? A Narrative Review of the Present State of Knowledge, Prevention Strategies, and Future Directions.

Understanding COVID-19's effects on susceptible populations remains essential for clinical implementations. Our review aimed to examine whether the pandemic significantly impacted the stress levels in the mothers of premature infants in NICUs. The review of the literature from Google Scholar and PubMed resulted in identifying specific stressors such as the disruption of healthcare systems, limited access to neonatal care, uncertainty due to frequent changes in restrictions, the risk of COVID-19 infection, social isolation, and financial stress.