Empowering Mothers Whose Babies Are Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

September 11, 2026 updated by: Emel AVÇİN, University of Yalova

Empowering Mothers Whose Babies Are Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Impact of Their Integration Into Their Babies' Care Process on Maternal and Infant Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Family Integrated Care is designed to eliminate the barriers between parents and their infants in the NICU by involving parents of premature infants in their care. Parents are integrated into both the healthcare team and the care of their infant. Through this approach, parents are informed about how they can contribute to their infant's overall development, including neurological and sensory development, motor and behavioral progress, as well as practices such as touch, bonding, skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and increasing breast milk production. They are also educated on general hygiene and care tasks such as diaper changing and body cleaning. This model places importance on the protection and enhancement of both the physical and psychological well-being of the parent and the infant. During this process, parents move beyond being mere "visitors" in the unit to becoming active "participants" and members of the care team. Family integrated care aims to support parents in becoming the primary caregivers for their infants, both during hospitalization and after discharge. This model not only provides education and counseling but also supports the family's comprehensive involvement in the infant's care.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
67

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The newborn must be premature (gestational age >28 and <34 weeks),
  • The infant must be admitted to the NICU and hospitalized for at least 3 days,
  • The mother must be open to communication and cooperation,
  • The mother must voluntarily agree to participate in the study,
  • The mother must be literate,
  • The mother must be able to speak and understand Turkish,
  • The mother must be primiparous and experiencing motherhood for the first time,
  • The mother must be over 18 years of age,
  • Mothers in the intervention group must be present in the hospital for an average of 6-8 hours per day.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The newborn has a congenital anomaly (e.g., craniofacial anomalies such as cleft palate, cleft lip, or facial muscle paralysis),
  • The newborn has a diagnosed gastrointestinal, neurological, or genetic disorder (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis, hydrocephalus, Down syndrome, omphalocele, gastroschisis, short bowel syndrome, or other diseases),
  • The newborn has a congenital heart defect requiring surgical intervention,
  • The mother has a diagnosed psychiatric illness,
  • The mother and/or father do not wish to participate in the study.

Withdrawal Criteria:

  • The mother does not attend the training sessions during the study period,
  • The mother fails to maintain cooperation throughout the study,
  • The newborn is transferred to another healthcare center for any reason,
  • The mother wishes to withdraw from the study,
  • The newborn is diagnosed with a chronic illness during the study process.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Mother Integrated Care Group

Mothers whose babies are admitted to YYÜ will be contacted within the first 72 hours. Pre-test data (Information Form, Maternal Self-Efficacy, Attachment, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Parental Stress, and Newborn Comfort Scales) will be collected, and the training schedule will be determined through face-to-face interviews.

After the interview with the mother and the pre-test are completed, the training date will be determined in consultation with the researchers. The training, consisting of four stages, is planned to be conducted at a rate of one session per day. Procedures will be demonstrated using mannequins and supported by a PowerPoint presentation and visual materials. A prepared booklet will also be distributed to the mothers. After the training phases are completed, mothers will be encouraged to participate in care as part of a team effort. One day before discharge and one and three months after discharge, survey forms will be completed via WhatsApp.
Behavioral: Mother Integrated Care
In order to empower mothers whose premature infants have been hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for at least three days, a four-step neonatal care training program will be provided. Through the empowerment of the mother, the empowerment of the motherwill also be supported. The family will no longer be considered as visitors but will be involved in the infant's care in the NICU as parents. Data collection forms will be completed before the training begins, one day prior to discharge, and one week after discharge.
No Intervention: Control group
Mothers in this group will receive standard unit care and education. Data collection procedures will be the same as those used in the intervention group. The mother will be contacted within the first 72 hours after admission to the unit, and baseline data will be collected. One day before discharge, and one and three months after discharge, questionnaire forms will be completed via WhatsApp.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Parental Stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Time Frame: First visit, before discharge
The Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS:NICU) will be used to assess the level of parental perception of stressors arising from the physical and psychosocial environment of the intensive care unit. The scale consists of 34 items across three dimensions: Sights and Sounds, Infant Appearance and Behavior, and Parental Role Alteration. Higher scores on the scale indicate higher levels of parental stress (minimum: 0, maximum: 170).
First visit, before discharge
Maternal Attachment
Time Frame: First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
The Maternal Attachment Scale consists of 26 items. The total score can range from 26 to 104. A higher score indicates a higher level of maternal attachment.
First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
The Mother's Perceived Parenting Self-Efficacy
Time Frame: First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
The scale was developed to assess the perceived self-efficacy of mothers of premature infants in caring for their babies and understanding their needs. The scale consists of a total of 20 items, and scores range from 20 to 80. A higher score indicates an increase in the mother's perceived parenting self-efficacy.
First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale for Mothers of Preterm Infants
Time Frame: First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
The scale consists of 18 positive items that assess mothers of preterm infants' perceptions of self-efficacy regarding breastfeeding and milk expression. The total score ranges from 18 to 90, with a high score indicating high breastfeeding self-efficacy.
First visit, before discharge, 1 month after discharge, 3 months after discharge
Newborn Comfort Behavior
Time Frame: First visit, before discharge
The scale consists of six behavioral parameters that assess alertness, calmness/agitation, respiratory response or crying, body movements, facial tension, and muscle tone. Each parameter is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and the total score ranges from 6 to 30. A high score indicates a decreased level of comfort in the newborn.
First visit, before discharge

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Yalova

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: EMEL AVÇİN, Doctor, Adiyaman University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 30, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 30, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 18, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 26, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 6, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Emel A. Family Integrated Care

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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