Maternal Quality of Life Following a Periviable Delivery

Area of Science:

• Perinatal medicine
• Maternal health outcomes
• Quality of life research

Background:

• Limited data exists on long-term maternal quality of life after periviable infant delivery.
• Periviable delivery, typically between 22 and 25 weeks gestation, presents unique challenges for mothers.
• Investigating maternal well-being is crucial for comprehensive perinatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare long-term quality of life in mothers who delivered periviable infants.
• To identify differences in quality of life domains based on infant survival status.
• To provide insights into the psychosocial impact of periviable birth on mothers.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 58 mothers delivering periviable infants (22-25 weeks gestation).
• Utilized the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire.
• Compared quality of life scores between mothers with surviving infants and those with intrauterine or neonatal demise.

Main Results:

• Mothers with surviving infants had significantly lower maternal age.
• Mothers of surviving infants reported higher quality of life in psychological health and social relationships domains.
• While mothers of survivors were more satisfied with their health, overall quality of life did not differ significantly between groups.

Conclusions:

• Mothers whose infants survived periviable delivery reported improved psychological and social well-being.
• Despite potential infant health complications, survival can positively influence certain aspects of maternal quality of life.
• Further research with larger cohorts is warranted to confirm these findings.