ABSTRACT
Fathers’ inclusion in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a key element for family-centered care, in case their preterm infant needs to be hospitalized for a prolonged period of time. Nevertheless, the extent of their involvement is not yet fully recognized by hospital policies and medical practitioners. This comprehensive literature review investigates the father’s role in the NICU, in respect to infant care and maternal support. Mental health issues that may arise by fathers’ emotional state and stressful events were also taken into consideration. Data collection included articles published from 2013 to 2023, derived from scientific databases such as PUBMED, Science Direct, Medline and Google Scholar. Including fathers in NICU seems to be beneficial for both mothers’ and infants’ emotional and practical needs. The stressful conditions in the NICU, however, may raise emotional reactions, such as anxiety and paternal depression symptoms, that affect the father’s mental health. The nursing and medical staff should provide support to help fathers embrace their paternal role and develop a father-infant bond. Fathers who receive support take on a crucial role in infant care, implementing practices acquired from the medical staff to support their infants, leading to a faster recovery and discharge from the NICU.
Key words: infants, father, preterm
