Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Social Supports Among Parents of Premature and Full-Term Infants

Abstract

Background:Premature birth is one of the most important unresolved reproductive health problems. Premature birth is often traumatic and a source of distress for parents. Increased parental stress during the first year of their infant's life is a risk factor for later behavioral problems in infants.Objectives:This study was designed to compare anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and social supports in parents of premature and mature infants.Patients and Methods:This was a comparative descriptive study conducted at healthcare centers of Qom city, in 2012. In this study, 82 couples (164 parents) divided into two groups including parents who have preterm and term infants. Questionnaires including items such as demographic characteristics, obstetric and post-traumatic stress disorders, Spielberger anxiety and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were completed two months after childbirth. Data were analyzed using χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney test, independent t-test, and regression logistic using SPSS18 software.Results:The levels of anxiety was not significantly different in mothers and fathers in the two groups, but the trait anxiety level of mothers (P < 0.001) and fathers who had preterm infants (P = 0.01) was significantly greater than the parents of full-term infants. Post-traumatic stress disorder was significantly greater in mothers of preterm infants than those of term infants (P = 0.03), but this amount was not significantly different between the two groups of fathers. Mothers' social support did not differ significantly (P = 0.08), however, it was significantly different in fathers (P = 0.01).Conclusions:Premature infants' parents are more at risk of mental disorders than term infants' parents. This result shows the need of interventions, so these parents can better deal with the problems of premature infants.

The Effect of Video and Images of Operating Room on Patients’ Anxiety Before General Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…The total score for each subscale of STAI is from 20 to 80. Higher scores represent higher anxiety in the individuals (18,19 (20,21).…”

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Risk Factors Among Parents of Hospitalized Term and Preterm Neonates

“…Preterm birth refers to childbirth before 37 completed weeks and its frequency rate has been reported to be about 5 to 13% (1,2). Parents of preterm neonates are exposed to stress associated with their infant's survive and immaturity, neonatal hospitalization, parenting problems and financial burdens.…”

“…It is also reported that about 1.5% -3% of parents of full term neonates have shown signs of PTSD after infants' birth (6). Both pregnancy and delivery are critical periods for parents which can induce large physiological, emotional, psychological and social changes (1). Different risk factors such as previous history of psychological problems and trauma, prenatal and obstetric complications, unwanted pregnancy, lack of familial and social supports and type of delivery contribute to the development of postpartum PTSD (7).…”

“…Former studies have compared the prevalence of PTSD in parents of preterm NICU hospitalized, and term but not hospitalized infants (1,2,11,12).…”

The Anxiety Levels of the Parents of Premature Infants and Related Factors

“…Previous studies show that the mothers of premature infants in the NICU may have a mild level (11,12), medium level (13,14) and high level (15,16) of anxiety.…”