McKay, Kathy;
O'Nions, Elizabeth;
Wayland, Sarah;
Ferguson, David;
Kennedy, Eilis;
(2021)
Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
nternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
, 18
(20)
, Article 10807. 10.3390/ijerph182010807.
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Abstract
Preterm birth (birth <37 completed weeks' gestation) is common, affecting 10.6% of live births globally (nearly 15 million babies per year). Having a new baby admitted to a neonatal unit often triggers stress and anxiety for parents. This paper seeks to explore experiences of preterm birth via Twitter. The intermingling of COVID-19 restrictions and World Prematurity Day allows for an understanding of both the additional stresses incurred as a consequence of the pandemic and the more "everyday" experiences in the NICU and beyond. The content analysis of the data included 3161 tweets. Three themes were identified: 1. COVID-19 was not the only trauma; 2. Raising awareness, especially World Prematurity Day; and, 3. Baby milestones. These themes highlight the multi-level challenges faced by parents of premature babies and the healthcare professionals involved in their care. The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictions imposed on parents' contact with their babies have resulted in immense emotional strain for families. The reported COVID-19 pandemic "baby blind spot" appears to particularly impact this group of babies. Improved understanding of the lived experiences of preterm babies and their families should inform greater awareness and improved support.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| Location: | Switzerland |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph182010807 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010807 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Keywords: | Environmental & Occupational Health, Environmental Sciences & Ecology, premature birth, preterm birth, NICU, maternal mental health, paternal mental health, child development, COVID-19, Twitter, POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS, RISK-FACTORS, CARE, PRETERM, INFANTS, BIRTH, EXPERIENCES, PREVALENCE, KANGAROO |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10153997 |
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