Maternal stress from preterm birth impacts mother-child attachment and infant development: an ongoing cohort study

Advances in neonatology have significantly reduced mortality in premature infants, but increased their risk of medium- and long-term morbidity. Previous research links prematurity to potential alterations in mother-child bonding during early life. The hospital environment of neonatal units is known to increase stress and anxiety in mothers, yet little is understood about how these maternal stress levels specifically influence mother-child interactions and the development of secure attachment in the early years. This gap highlights the need to understand the impact of parental mental health on child development outcomes.

This ongoing observational cohort study (NCT02623400) is analyzing the association between maternal stress levels following preterm birth and subsequent child development and mother-child interaction patterns. The study enrolls 174 mothers of preterm infants. Investigators are measuring parental distress, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, and parent-infant bonding, at multiple time points. The primary objective is to determine how maternal stress influences child development and the quality of mother-child interactions, particularly in infants attending Child Development and Early Care Centres.

This is an ongoing study, and specific findings or numerical results are not yet available in the provided abstract. The study aims to analyze the association between maternal stress levels due to preterm birth and child development, as well as patterns of mother-child interactions. It will also validate psychometric measures related to parental emotional and bonding processes.