Purpose: The study examined differences in stress between the parents of sick newborns. Methods: Participants were the mothers (n=57) and fathers (n=57) of newborns in NICU of six university hospitals. An established stress measurement tool (Miles and Carter, 1993) was used. Results: Fathers and mothers displayed the highest stress scores (4.44 and 4.67, respectively) when the baby looked in pain. Maternal overall stress scores were significantly higher than paternal scores. Conclusions: Mothers and fathers experience differing levels of stress concerning their newborn. Further studies are needed to develop customized stress management intervention programs for parents of newborns in the NICU.