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Parents’ perspectives on the use of statistics to convey uncertainty in the NICU: a qualitative analysis

Journal of Perinatology (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

Explore NICU parents’ perspectives on how statistics are used to communicate prognostic uncertainty.

Study design

A secondary qualitative grounded theory analysis of semi-structured interviews with parents of current and past NICU patients focusing on their experience with prognostic uncertainty.

Results

Parents had varying opinions on the use of statistics. These views depended on many factors, including the motives for sharing statistics, their child’s clinical status, their own emotional state, and their relationship with the provider communicating the uncertainty. Depending upon how statistics were utilized, parents felt they could be helpful and desired at times, but also harmful and counterproductive at others. Parents also shared recommendations on how statistics should be utilized in communicating uncertainty.

Conclusion

This study reveals an important parental perspective on communication for anyone caring for critically ill neonates. In sharing recommendations for communicating uncertainty with statistics, this study can help providers enhance relationships with parents.

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Fig. 1: Statistics across phases of uncertainty.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Jeanne A. Krick

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC, USA

    Caitlin E. Toffler

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Integrated Hospital-Care Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Nina Y. Zhou

  4. Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Marin Arnolds

Authors
  1. Jeanne A. Krick
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  2. Caitlin E. Toffler
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  3. Nina Y. Zhou
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  4. Marin Arnolds
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Contributions

JK was responsible for the design of the study, the coding and analysis of the data, the drafting of the manuscript, and created the final manuscript. CT and NZ participated in initial coding and thematic analysis. They reviewed, edited and approved the final manuscript. MA participated in initial coding, thematic analysis, and further theory development. She reviewed, edited and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeanne A. Krick.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The original study was approved by the Seattle Children’s Hospital Institutional Review Board as exempt and was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The need for informed consent was waived.

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Krick, J.A., Toffler, C.E., Zhou, N.Y. et al. Parents’ perspectives on the use of statistics to convey uncertainty in the NICU: a qualitative analysis. J Perinatol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-025-02439-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-025-02439-2

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