The results from the studies discussed
have identified that NICU can have a
negative effect on the attachment process
between the mother and their infant.
Factors which can lead to disruption of the
attachment process include the separation
of parents from their child7,8, and high
levels of maternal anxiety, as experienced
in NICU9. The neurobiological risk of the
infant in the first weeks of life also had a
negative influence on the mother-infant
interaction, which indicates that much of
the UK NICU population are at risk from
an impaired attachment with their mother.