THE IMPACT ON THE STATE OF HEALTH DUE TO THE SEPARATION OF MOTHER/INFANT

Introduction: Early maternal/infant separation can result in a series of traumatic emotional reactions from both the newborn and the mother. Material and methods: The authors propose conducting a study on the influence of mother/newborn separation in a neonatology and premature department. To undergo the study, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed both to mothers admitted separately from newborns and to mothers admitted in the same ward as newborns. The study included a group of 60 mothers, the group being divided into two groups: separated mothers/newborns and unseparated mothers/newborns. Results: The study reported that the separated mothers/newborns group had an average hospital stay of more than 10 days compared to the group of unseparated mothers/newborns where the average duration of hospitalization was 7 days. 83.3% of unseparated newborns had a favorable clinical course and only 6.67% had complications. In the group of separated newborns, 40% had a favorable evolution and 30% had complications. Regarding the behavioral changes occured in the newborns, comparing the results of the two groups, it appears that the group of separated newborns showed the most behavioral changes. The most common were crying (66.7%), followed by decreased appetite (13.3%), sleep disorders (10%) and weight loss (6.67%). The most common behavioral changes seen in mothers were decreased / lost of milk, anxiety states and sleep disorders. Conclusions: Maternal-infant separation has not only a negative impact on the child, but also on the mother with both short- and long-term effect.