This research article investigates the screening of postpartum traumatic stress in a sample of 135 mothers of preterm infants (26–34 weeks gestation) hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The study aimed to identify potential risk factors associated with depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms using the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The research found that maternal sociodemographic and infant medical severity measures were not helpful in differentiating mothers who screened positive for psychological distress. The study emphasizes the need for universal screening programs rather than profiling high-risk parents based on sociodemographic characteristics. The researchers collected data on maternal sociodemographics, pregnancy history, infant medical history and used the Illness Health Severity Index (IHSI) to evaluate the severity of the infant's condition. The findings suggest the importance of recognizing parental distress and trauma in the NICU setting and highlights the need for systematic screening to identify mothers at risk.