Postpartal Affective and Endocrine Differences Between Parents of Preterm and Full-Term Infants

Overview

Journal Front Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2020 Apr 17

PMID 32296356

Citations 8

Authors

Tobias Weigl

Nora Schneider

Anja Stein

Ursula Felderhoff-Muser

Manfred Schedlowski

Harald Engler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: During the postpartum period, new parents frequently experience emotional stress and exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety, accompanied by substantial endocrine changes. However, evidence predominantly exists from parents of full-term infants, while data on parents of preterm infants are scarce. In this exploratory, cross-sectional study, we compared psychological well-being and endocrine parameters in parents of very preterm and term born infants.

Methods: Mothers (N = 28) and fathers (N = 30) of full-term infants as well as mothers (N = 18) and fathers (N = 21) of very or extreme preterm infants (< 32 gestational week) were recruited in the days following birth. Anxiety, depression, and perceived stress were assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), respectively. Physiological measures included serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (mothers only), as well as the salivary cortisol awakening response (mothers and fathers).

Results: New mothers and fathers of very preterm infants exhibited higher scores of depression, anxiety and stress than parents of term infants. Besides, mothers of very preterm infants showed lower levels of estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin, as well as a heightened post-awakening cortisol response compared to mothers of term infants. Furthermore, in mothers of preterm infants we found significant negative associations between serum prolactin levels and BDI and STAI scores, respectively.

Conclusions: Parents of very preterm infants suffered from a higher burden of psychological distress than parents of full-term infants. The affective symptoms in preterm mothers were accompanied by altered endocrine profiles that, at least to some extent, may contribute to the psychological changes. The profound psychological and physiological disturbances in mothers of preterm infants may have an impact on long-term mental health and early pharmacological and psychological interventions may help to ameliorate postpartum affective symptoms.

Citing Articles

The effect of live-performed music therapy with physical contact in preterm infants on parental perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels.

Dewan M, Ader M, Kleinbeck T, Dathe A, Schedlowski M, Engler H Front Psychol. 2024; 15:1441824.

PMID: 39434912 PMC: 11492995. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1441824.

Transferring an extremely premature infant to an extra-uterine life support system: a prospective view on the obstetric procedure.

van Haren J, Delbressine F, Schoberer M, Te Pas A, van Laar J, Oei S Front Pediatr. 2024; 12:1360111.

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The Involvement of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Other Perinatal Factors in Postpartum PTSD After Cesarean Section.

Orovou E, Eskitzis P, Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou I, Tzitiridou-Chatzopoulou M, Arampatzi C, Rigas N J Mother Child. 2023; 27(1):158-167.

PMID: 37920113 PMC: 10623112. DOI: 10.34763/jmotherandchild.20232701.d-23-00056.

The Relation between Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Cesarean Section.

Orovou E, Eskitzis P, Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou I, Tzitiridou-Hatzopoulou M, Dagla M, Arampatzi C Healthcare (Basel). 2023; 11(13).

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Short-term oestrogen as a strategy to prevent postpartum depression in high-risk women: protocol for the double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled MAMA clinical trial.

Hogh S, Hegaard H, Renault K, Cvetanovska E, Kjaerbye-Thygesen A, Juul A BMJ Open. 2022; 11(12):e052922.

PMID: 35763351 PMC: 8719185. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052922.

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