Investigation of perceived social support in mothers of infants hospitalized in neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PURPOSE: To identify the degree of perceived social support by mothers of infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to investigate effects depression and anxiety levels on the perceived social support. METHOD: The study included 50 mothers of infants hospitalized in NICU. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the mothers were collected using a personal data form designed by the study researchers via face-to-face interviews. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) was used to evaluate the degree of perceived social support by the mothers and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale was used to assess their anxiety and depression levels. RESULTS: The mean age of the mothers was 29.1 ± 4.2 years. There was a significant correlation between the scores of the anxiety and depression subscales (r=0.772; p<0.001), whereas these scores were not significantly correlated with MSPSS total score. The scores MSPSS subscales were significantly correlated with each other, as well as with MSPSS total score. Friend subscale score and depression subscale score were positively correlated with education level (r=0.295, p=0.038 and r=0.407, p=0.003, respectively). The family and spouse subscale scores and MSPSS total score were significantly higher assisted conception technique group compared with the spontaneous conception group (p=0.020, p=0.010 and p=0.016, respectively). The family and spouse subscale scores and MSPSS total score were significantly lower in the mothers with depression subscale score of ≥7 than in the mothers with depression subscale score of <7 (p=0.010, p=0.038 and p=0.018, respectively). In the linear regression model, only education level was found to be a significant factor affecting depression level (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: The mothers of infants hospitalized in the NICU with higher education levels had higher depression level and perceived social support from friends. Informing the family members and providing psychological support independent from the duration of gestation are of paramount importance.

A perspective from the practice of swaddling by Turkish mothers.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice of swaddling by Turkish mothers residing in different areas of the country (rural or urban), and determine to their level of knowledge on its positive and negative effects on children's health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 632 mothers with an infant aged 0-3 months who presented to our University Hospital volunteered their participation and 598 mothers were included in the study. The study was based on a questionnaire form given to the mothers. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty three (283) mothers swaddled their infants (47.3 %), while 315 mothers did not swaddle (52.7%). The mothers that swaddled their baby cited tradition ("That's what I learned from my elders") as the most common reason (38%) for swaddling. The most important reason (32%) for not swaddling was the mothers' belief "that it would prevent normal development". CONCLUSION: In Turkey, the swaddling tends to decrease with the increase of maternal education level and socio-economic situation.The level of Turkish mother's knowledge about beneficial and adverse effect of swaddling were insufficient.We think that the information about properly swaddling should be given to mothers In order to benefit from it's positive effects and at the same time and avoid its adverse effects.

Effect of vitamin E on antioxidant enzymes and nitric oxide in ischemia-reperfused kidney injury.

The effects of Vitamin E administration on antioxidant enzyme activities and nitrite-nitrate levels of the reperfused rat kidney tissues were investigated by performing a 60 min ischemia followed by 24 and 72 hours of reperfusion. Vitamin E administration or the placebo (SF) was applied as 100 mg/kg BW. As expected, catalase (CAT) (p<0.05) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p<0.05) activities of ischemia/reperfused (I/R) kidney tissue were lower and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were higher than control kidneys in both SF and vitamin E treated groups following 24 h reperfusion. During reperfusion of long term (72 h), vitamin E triggered a decrease in the MDA levels in the ischemic tissue, while it did not provoke a significant effect on SOD and catalase activities. Total nitrite levels of ischemic tissues in both of the groups were higher than matched control kidneys and this elevation was more clear in the vitamin E treated group. Our results showed that vitamin E has a protective effect on I/R injury, by a direct chain breaking effect on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and hence preventing the nitric oxide (NO) reservoir of ischemic tissue. Alfa-tocopherol may be a promising agent for the prevention of tissue injury caused by free oxygen radicals.