Severity of preterm birth and perinatal depressive symptoms in mothers and fathers: Trajectories over the first postpartum year

Parental Distress and Affective Perception of Hospital Environment after a Pictorial Intervention in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

“…Contrary to our hypotheses, no significant differences emerged between the two groups of parents, suggesting that the intervention was not related to global levels of parental distress nor to single dimensions. A possible explanation could be related to the high scores of global distress displayed by parents; the emotional experience of being a parent after infant hospitalization in the NICU is complex and intense [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 17 ] and could conceal the potential benefits of this kind of intervention. Indeed, looking at the VRS continuous scores in comparison with the VRS scores which emerged from other studies, we found a more intense distress than that of the normative population [ 67 , 75 , 78 , 79 ], and of hospital patients, such as women undergoing to breast cancer screening [ 67 ] and parents of children undergoing anesthesia for day-hospital surgery [ 13 ].…”

“…Therefore, parents might show elevated levels of distress, in fact, the literature shows an increased risk of depressive and anxious symptoms compared to parents with healthy children and to parents with children admitted to general pediatric wards [ 3 , 11 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The intensity of parental distress could be particularly severe, leading to the risk of developing post-traumatic stress symptoms [ 18 , 19 ] that could persist for a long time after discharge [ 20 , 21 ].…”

Maternal Mood and Perception of Infant Temperament at Three Months Predict Depressive Symptoms Scores in Mothers of Preterm Infants at Six Months

“…For instance, according to Barkmann et al (2018), very low birth weight predicts elevated levels of parental depressiveness even up to 5 years postpartum. Finally, a recent study by Genova et al (2022) points to general decrease in depressiveness between 3 and 12 months postpartum in mothers and fathers, although with some differences, both in the severity of depressiveness and in the reduction in depressive symptoms over time, between parents of extremely LBW and very LBW infants.…”

“…Multiple emotional reactions of parents to their preterm infants' hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit have been described, including feelings of helplessness and being out of control, uncertainty as to the infant's survival and health status, sadness, and extreme distress (Lasiuk et al, 2013;Trumello et al, 2018). Studies on the impact of preterm birth on parental mental health point to increased risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as increased levels of anxiety and parenting stress, especially in mothers of preterm infants (Kersting et al, 2004;Karatzias et al, 2007;Vigod et al, 2010;Helle et al, 2015;Pace et al, 2016;Anderson and Cacola, 2017;Yildiz et al, 2017;Garfield et al, 2021;Genova et al, 2022). The rates of paternal depression and anxiety seem to be lower than maternal ones, but still elevated when compared to fathers of full-term infants (Treyvaud, 2014;McMahon et al, 2020;Weigl et al, 2020;Baldoni et al, 2021;Genova et al, 2022).…”

“…Studies on the impact of preterm birth on parental mental health point to increased risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as increased levels of anxiety and parenting stress, especially in mothers of preterm infants (Kersting et al, 2004;Karatzias et al, 2007;Vigod et al, 2010;Helle et al, 2015;Pace et al, 2016;Anderson and Cacola, 2017;Yildiz et al, 2017;Garfield et al, 2021;Genova et al, 2022). The rates of paternal depression and anxiety seem to be lower than maternal ones, but still elevated when compared to fathers of full-term infants (Treyvaud, 2014;McMahon et al, 2020;Weigl et al, 2020;Baldoni et al, 2021;Genova et al, 2022).…”