Preterm birth remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, affecting several infants, which necessitates the adoption of family-integrated care for better care. This study focused on the challenges of family-integrated care for optimal care of preterm infants by healthcare workers in the special care baby unit of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. The descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted with a target population which comprised of preterm infants within the SCBU of the UUTH. The sample size was 80 which was selected using the purposive sampling technique. The primary instrument for data collection was a structured self-administered questionnaire, designed in English. The instrument was validated by experts. Data was collected by administering the questionnaire to the respondents. All completed questionnaires were coded and entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 and analyzed with statistical tools such as percentage and Chi-square test at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that 57.5% agreed that parents are actively involved in hands-on care for their preterm infants, such as feeding, diaper changes, and temperature checks, reflecting partial integration of family participation into routine care; 63.8% consistently received clear and comprehensive information about their infant’s condition and treatment plans, but less than half 47.5% indicated that the physical space in the SCBU is adequate to support continuous parental presence and practices like Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). The challenges were sufficient availability of essential medical equipment (16.2%), inconsistent adequacy and functionality of oxygen delivery systems (e.g., oxygen concentrators, flowmeters) (38.8%), and readily available crucial medications for preterm infant management (e.g., surfactant, specific antibiotics) (32.5%). It was concluded that, infrastructural deficiencies, especially in equipment availability, oxygen supply, electricity, and consumables, were consistently highlighted as barriers. It was recommended among others that there should be foster participatory decision-making between hospital management and frontline staff. Secure dedicated funding for neonatal care from both government and private sector partners. 

Keywords: Challenges, Family-integrated Care, SCBU, Preterm Infant.