Preterm Birth: Implications for Family Stress and Coping

The event of preterm birth represents a significant risk to the equilibrium of the family, often placing the family under significant stress. This paper is intended to assist neonatal nurses in understanding factors related to a family's appraisal of stress and strategies used for coping. Such factors are an important consideration in planning the most effective interventions to support optimal family adaptation to their preterm infant's birth. In identifying the best clinical approaches to supporting a family coping with the event of a preterm birth, nurses need to consider levels of the evidence that supports adoption of clinical intervention strategies. Working to reduce family stress and improve family coping ensures the most optimal home environment for the preterm infant to grow and thrive in after discharge.