Cases of pre-term birth are increasing, danger to both mother and child

Preterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NICU. 21 mothers (age = 36.00 ± 6.85) and 19 fathers (age = 34.92 ± 4.58) of preterm infants (GA = 30.96 ± 2.97) and 20 mothers (age = 40.08 ± 4.76) and 20 fathers (age = 40.32 ± 6.77) of full-term infants (GA = 39.19 ± 1.42) were involved. All parents filled out the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire. Our data showed differences in emotional reactions between preterm and full-term parents. Results also revealed significant differences between mothers and fathers’ responses to preterm birth in terms of stress, negative feelings, and perceptions of social support. A correlation between negative conditions at birth (e.g., birth weight and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay) and higher scores in some scales of Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire were found. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be a stressful place both for mothers and fathers. It might be useful to plan, as soon as possible, interventions to help parents through the experience of the premature birth of their child and to begin an immediately adaptive mode of care.

What did the study find? In the report released this week, the team of researchers found that this problem is being seen in children born to both white and black women. The experts found that black pregnant women were three percent more likely to die from causes related to premature delivery. Experts have found several conditions to be the leading cause of preterm birth and its complications. Risk is increasing in Asian countries The team of researchers found that cases of premature birth of mothers from Asian and Pacific Islands have also increased. According to the research report, the Kovid epidemic is also being seen as a possible reason for this. Prenatal care decreased during the pandemic, making it difficult for people to receive timely treatment, which can be considered a challenging situation for pregnant women. What are the factors increasing this problem? Experts observed that several factors could be responsible for the rising cases of preterm births before 37 weeks, with increased health complications during the COVID pandemic and the age of the mother being a factor. Apart from this, if the pregnant woman is suffering from any medical condition or has already given birth to a child, then special precautions are advised in these situations. These conditions can be a reason for pre-term birth. Disadvantages of pre-term birth The team of researchers found that premature labor can cause a variety of complications related to childbirth. It can also be a condition that increases the risks of death during delivery. Premature birth is known to have complications for the mother as well as the baby, including an increased risk of low birth weight, difficulty breathing, underdeveloped limbs and vision disorders.