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Extremely low birth weight infants less than 901 g. Impact on the family during the first year
1Department of Child and Youth Psychiatry, University of Lund, Sweden.
Insights
The birth of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants significantly impacts families, causing crisis reactions and marital strain. Parental relationships and hospitalization duration were key factors affecting family well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Family psychology
- Perinatal health
Background:
- Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants require intensive care, posing unique challenges for families.
- Previous research has highlighted the medical complexities of ELBW infants but less on the comprehensive family impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multifaceted impact of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infant birth on the entire family unit.
- To compare the experiences of families with ELBW infants to those with full-term infants.
- To identify factors influencing family stress and relationship dynamics in the first year of an ELBW infant's life.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal prospective study comparing 20 ELBW infants (500-900g birth weight) with 20 full-term infants.
- Structured parental interviews conducted postnatally and at one year, covering pregnancy, delivery, infant health, behavior, and family reactions.
- Assessment of parental physical symptoms, sibling reactions, and marital relationship strains.
Main Results:
- Mothers of ELBW infants reported more fertility issues and physical symptoms during pregnancy and the infant's first year.
- Crisis reactions were observed in 85% of mothers and 65% of fathers of ELBW infants.
- Fifty-eight percent of ELBW parents experienced marital strain due to infant-related stress, compared to 21% of control parents.
Conclusions:
- The birth of an ELBW infant profoundly affects the entire family system, necessitating comprehensive support.
- No direct correlation was found between infant neurological injury and family reaction severity.
- Perinatal parental relationship quality and infant hospitalization duration significantly influenced family well-being and stress levels.
Abstract:
In a longterm prospective study 20 extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants with birth weight between 500 and 900 g (mean 755 +/- 109 g) and gestational age between 24 and 30 weeks (mean 26.2 +/- 1.8 w) were compared with 20 fullterm infants. This part of the study focuses on the impact on the family. Structured parental interviews were conducted in the postnatal period and at the end of the first year concerning the pregnancy, the delivery and the infant's health and behaviour during the first year of life. Questions about the parents' and siblings' reactions, physical symptoms and the strains on the husband-wife relationship were also asked. It was found that the mothers of the ELBW infants had more fertility problems, more physical symptoms during the pregnancy and the infant's first year of life. The birth of an ELBW infant caused crisis reactions in 85% of the mothers and 65% of the fathers. Fifty-eight per cent of the ELBW parents and 21% of the parents in the control group reported that the stress during the infant's first year had led to strains on the husband-wife relationship. It is evident that the birth of an ELBW infant had an impact on the whole family. However, we found no relationship between permanent neurological injuries in the infant and strong reactions in the family members. On the other hand, the parental relationship in the perinatal period seems to be of significance, as does the length of time the infant was hospitalized during its first year of life.