How to support fathers of preterm infants in early parenthood - An integrative review

PROBLEM: Preterm birth is a stressful event. Paternal experiences of having a preterm infant indicate a need for tailored support. However, it is unclear which interventions work best. This review presents the evidence on existing healthcare interventions to support fathers of preterm infants in early parenthood, how effective they are and paternal experiences with the interventions.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The integrative review process of Whittemore and Knafl was used to guide the study. A structured and comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, SweMed+, and Proquest Dissertation & Thesis Global.

SAMPLE: A total of 18 qualitative and quantitative studies were included in the review. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality.

RESULTS: Three overall themes were identified in the analysis: 1) Skin-to-skin contact supported interaction between infant and father, 2) information impacted paternal experiences of stress, anxiety, and development of fatherhood, 3) fathers' relationships with the nurses oscillated between conflict and assistance.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that targeted interventions could support father-infant interaction and reduce stress among fathers of preterm infants.

IMPLICATIONS: Fathers of preterm infants rely on nurses to support their engagement in early parenthood, while nurses facilitate the interventions that engage the fathers. It is also essential to develop a culture within the neonatal intensive care unit that encourages the presence of fathers and enhances educational nursing strategies for supporting fathers of preterm infants during early parenthood.