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Long-Term Maternal Stress and Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms Related to Developmental Outcome of Extremely Premature

Gadi Zerach1, Adi Elsayag1, Shahar Shefer2

  • 1Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.

Stress and Health : Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress
|August 8, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Mothers of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) children with developmental difficulties experience higher stress. Maternal stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms correlate with the severity of ELBW children's long-term outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Perinatal Mental Health
  • Pediatric Outcomes

Background:

  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants face significant developmental challenges.
  • Maternal mental health, including stress and PTSD, can be impacted by the birth of a premature infant.
  • Long-term effects on both child development and maternal well-being require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between the severity of developmental outcomes in ELBW children and their mothers' stress and PTSD symptoms.
  • To assess maternal stress and PTSD symptoms 4-16 years after the birth of an ELBW child.
  • To understand the long-term impact of prematurity on maternal mental health.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 78 Israeli mothers of ELBW infants (born 24-27 weeks gestation) were surveyed 4-16 years post-birth.
  • Mothers reported on their child's medical and developmental status.
  • Mothers also reported on their current perceived stress and PTSD symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Mothers of ELBW children with normal development reported lower perceived stress than those with developmental difficulties.
  • A significant portion of mothers (25.6%) showed potential for PTSD.
  • The severity of prematurity-related developmental outcomes strongly correlated with maternal perceived stress.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal perceived stress in mothers of ELBW infants is linked to the severity of their child's developmental outcomes.
  • These findings highlight the enduring impact of prematurity on maternal mental health.
  • Clinical interventions should consider the long-term psychological well-being of mothers of ELBW children.

Keywords:
extremely low birth weight (ELBW)neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomsstress

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