Depressive symptoms and maternal psychological distress during early infancy: A pilot study in preterm as compared with term mother-infant dyads.
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 10 2019
01 10 2019
Historique:
received:
05
04
2019
revised:
01
07
2019
accepted:
04
07
2019
pubmed:
17
7
2019
medline:
8
7
2020
entrez:
17
7
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Preterm birth does not only affect infants but also represents an unexpected and traumatic event for parents. There are few reports on parenting stress during early infancy comparing preterm and term mothers, with the results being somewhat inconsistent. As part of a longitudinal study, preterm mother-infant and term mother-infant dyads were enrolled. Dyads were assessed twice: during hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and at 3 months of infant age (corrected age for preterm). Each mother completed a self-report set of psychological questionnaire in both time points. All the children underwent a neurological examination at 40 weeks post conceptional age and at 3 months (corrected age for preterm). 20 preterm and 20 term dyads were included. NICU mothers reported elevated postnatal depressive symptoms and high stress level, even if the preterm infants were with low perinatal risk and normal neurological examination. Comparing preterm infant with low perinatal risk and normal neurological examination with term-born children at 3 months, we found higher parental stress in term mothers than in preterm mothers. This study was limited by a relatively small sample size; findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation in larger-scale study. Findings confirm that becoming a mother of a preterm infant is an event associated with emotional distress. These symptoms may resolve with time, and sometimes are independent of the infant's clinical severity. Assessing parental sources of stress and subsequent follow-up is essential to promote parental support, both for preterm and term mothers.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Preterm birth does not only affect infants but also represents an unexpected and traumatic event for parents. There are few reports on parenting stress during early infancy comparing preterm and term mothers, with the results being somewhat inconsistent.
METHODS
As part of a longitudinal study, preterm mother-infant and term mother-infant dyads were enrolled. Dyads were assessed twice: during hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and at 3 months of infant age (corrected age for preterm). Each mother completed a self-report set of psychological questionnaire in both time points. All the children underwent a neurological examination at 40 weeks post conceptional age and at 3 months (corrected age for preterm).
RESULTS
20 preterm and 20 term dyads were included. NICU mothers reported elevated postnatal depressive symptoms and high stress level, even if the preterm infants were with low perinatal risk and normal neurological examination. Comparing preterm infant with low perinatal risk and normal neurological examination with term-born children at 3 months, we found higher parental stress in term mothers than in preterm mothers.
LIMITATIONS
This study was limited by a relatively small sample size; findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation in larger-scale study.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings confirm that becoming a mother of a preterm infant is an event associated with emotional distress. These symptoms may resolve with time, and sometimes are independent of the infant's clinical severity. Assessing parental sources of stress and subsequent follow-up is essential to promote parental support, both for preterm and term mothers.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31310909
pii: S0165-0327(19)30878-X
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.039
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
470-476Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.