Mothers of preterm infants may be at an increased risk for anxiety and depression

Belinda Z. Burgos González
News from the Latina Agency for Medicine and Public Health

Data from a study in Puerto Rico shows the need for new interventions with this population.

Most mothers with premature babies in intensive neonatal care report higher levels of anxiety and depression than other women in Puerto Rico. The study explains that mothers with multiple risk factors in a social setting are more vulnerable than those who do not have the same condition within a Neonatal Intensive Unit (NICU) and therefore can influence neonatal development.

“It is not only that the life of a fragile baby is saved, but that we can provide quality of life after having already experienced a traumatic experience (referring to premature birth)”

The study analyzed retrospective data from 2015 to 2018, in which women were evaluated, with an average age of 27, as revealed in the Journal of Medicine and Public Health (MSP) by Dr Cynthia García Coll, psychologist development. annexed to the Center for Maternal and Child Studies (CEMI) of the Medical Sciences Campus (RCM) and part of the Neonatology section of the RCM.

Information collected from interviews with 92 women (n = 92) who were analyzed using the “Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale”, the “Edinburgh Postpartum

Depression Scale ”, among others which helped researchers assess the risks associated with depression and anxiety in these mothers in NICU and which took into account the accumulation of demographic and social risk factors.

The study report shows that although 85% of respondents said they had social support, 51% said they were going through a stressful period. While, 20% showed high levels of anxiety and 18% reflected high rates associated with depression.

Dr García Coll added that the study helps NICU professionals to have a better intervention with these young mothers and thus meet criteria of both a social and obstetric nature (with premature babies and additional complications) to offer a service updated to social reality.

“What we did was quantify the risk factors, such as: the risk of being poor, young, of not having gone to university, of possibly having many children, of having a low income, among others. We found that the more these mothers had these types of risks, the more depression and anxiety you have during your NICU stay. The more these women were in the NICU, the more anxious and depressed they were than others who did not have this context, “said Dr. García Coll in an interview with the Journal of Medicine and Public Health (MSP).

The study, as assessed, has high variability around the socioeconomic status of the sample evaluated, with participants who have been shown to generate little income or are totally dependent on government services, such as those in a better economic position.

“These mothers should be offered psychology and social worker services. The importance of these studies is precisely that of assessing the risks within a biological risk. Helping these most affected mothers in the NICU helps us to help the baby’s development. Anxious mothers treat babies who don’t have mothers with this type of anxiety level completely differently. These mothers like these children need a monitoring system, an intervention system and a prevention system, “said Dr. José Martínez, clinical psychologist at Pedro Albizu Campos University..

Finally, Dr. Martínez agreed with Dr. García Coll on the need to develop new mental health interventions aimed at this population.

“We recommend developing innovative and culturally appropriate psychological and social work interventions to address the mental health needs such as anxiety, possible fear of losing the baby) that the families of infants admitted to NICU have. Pediatric Hospital’s professional psychology and social care staff could provide parents with referral to child care services as an early intervention during the child’s discharge process to promote optimal development from six weeks to two years of age. that baby, ”he concluded.

Neonatologists Dra. Lourdes García, Dra. Inés García, among others.