Editorial: Considerations and Implications of a Nuanced Understanding of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Distress for the Long-term Mental Health of Diverse Mothers and Children.

The perinatal period (pregnancy up to 1 year postpartum) is one of immense psychological and physical changes, many of which increase the risk for psychopathology for parent-child dyads. Families with infants requiring neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) interventions face additional challenges and distress in both the short and long term. Approximately 7% to 12% of infants require NICU admission for many factors including prematurity and neonatal complications ¹ ; 2% to 30% experience postpartum depression. ² Although something is known about NICU distress, a nuanced understanding of the experiences of NICU families is lacking, including their effects on longer-term mental health for parents and children. This is particularly true for families of minoritized groups, who often experience additional stressors, including interpersonal and systemic racism as well as differential Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)-the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age.
(Copyright © 2023 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)