Experiences of family hope and hopelessness in the context of pregnancy and care for high-risk newborns.
Bruna Camargos de Lima Ramos, Renata de Oliveira Costa, Elysângela Dittz Duarte and 2 others
PMID 42524999WHAT IT FOUND
Families of high-risk newborns described hope shifting from fear and uncertainty to belief in better days, strengthened by faith and resilience over time.
Pandemic isolation and delayed contact threatened hope.
Key findings
01Hope was present throughout the family trajectory, and its meaning changed and strengthened over time.
02Families described negative feelings such as fear, anxiety, despair, sadness, guilt and anger when risk was discovered, then happiness, love, confidence and relief after birth, often persisting to the present.
03Families reported spirituality, prayer, church attendance, faith, self-confidence and resilience as sources of hope; hospitalization and pandemic contact restrictions threatened hope.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Findings come from an early-intervention service in Brazil, so they may not fit other health systems or cultures. The study did not include healthcare providers, so it cannot show how clinicians perceived or influenced family hope. The inclusion rules excluded underage mothers and mothers with depression or psychiatric distress, so families with those experiences are underrepresented. The interviews happened after birth, so acute moments such as diagnosis and hospitalization were recalled after time had passed. As a qualitative study, it produces themes and experiences, not measured effects on neonatal or family outcomes. The pandemic context was prominent, so hopelessness may reflect restrictions that are not typical in all settings.
Declared interests
This study was financed in part by CAPES and supported by FAPEMIG. No commercial sponsor, author conflict of interest, or company involvement is reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that spirituality, resilience, or family-centered care improve newborn outcomes. This study reports families' experiences of hope and hopelessness, not tested interventions or clinical outcomes.