[Psychosocial environment and premature birth]

For about twenty years, prematurity has been the subject of many preventive actions. In spite of the elaboration of different screening programmes, preterm deliveries rate doesn't decrease. Some somatic risk factors are now known and are the subject of an unconditional screening in prenatal consultation. However we consider that the etiology of many preterm deliveries remain unknown and 55% of preterm cases could be idiopathic without any explanation of pathological order. The clinical observation suggests the existence of a link between preterm delivery and the psychosocial environment of the pregnant woman. According to that suggestion, they are now making a study in the university obstetrical service of the CHR Citadelle (Liège). The first part of the research has enabled to identify different risk factors such as: illegitimate pregnancy, future mother living alone, unemployed husband, no wage, stress, earlier miscarriage, social isolation, less than 2 years between 2 babies, bad satisfying pregnancy on a psychological and/or physical point of view. According to the study and literature results, a psychosocial risk screening overview has been elaborated. It would permit to identify the cases leading surely to a preterm delivery. That study is financed by a convention between the "Ministère de la Culture et des Affaires sociales de la Communauté française".