Biopsychosocial predictors of preterm delivery
-
Martina Rauchfuss
and
Barbara Maier
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study is to integrate a psychosomatic approach in the investigation of causes for preterm deliveries.
Methods: A prospective study including 589 pregnant women between the 13th and the 24th gestation week (GW) was performed. In addition to medical and sociodemographic risk factors for preterm birth, factors such as biographical information, coping strategies and personality factors, pregnancy-related attitudes and anxieties as well as the pregnant women's social environment were examined. A factor analysis was performed using a principal component method with subsequent varimax rotation.
Results: Psychosocial variables were found to have a significant influence on the course of pregnancy and delivery. A total of 29 pregnant women (5.8%) delivered prematurely before they completed the 37th GW. Lack of support, poor emotional understanding by the partner, and additional stress subsequent to gynecological disorders were significantly associated with prematurity delivery. Pregnancy-related fears and general anxiety were additional significant predictors for preterm delivery.
Conclusions: Partner relationships, women's support groups, psychosomatic reactions due to problems with reproductive functions, and anxiety deserve special attention for the prevention of preterm birth.
©2011 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston
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- Congress calendar
- Congress Calendar
Articles in the same Issue
- Review article
- Neonatal outcomes of assisted and naturally conceived twins: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Original articles – Obstetrics
- Postpartum hemorrhage in low risk population
- Perinatal mortality in preterm births: an analysis of causes, presence of substandard care and avoiding mortality in three Dutch regions
- Clinical significance of serum sRAGE and esRAGE in women with normal pregnancy and preeclampsia
- Biopsychosocial predictors of preterm delivery
- Maternal preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of retinopathy of prematurity
- Original articles – Fetus
- Natriuretic peptide levels in intrauterine growth-restricted fetuses with absent and reversed end-diastolic flow of the umbilical artery in relation to ductus venosus flow velocities
- Inter- and intra-observer variation of fetal volume measurements with three-dimensional ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy
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- Contribution of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome to preterm birth among monochorionic biamniotic and bichorionic biamniotic twin pregnancies
- Original articles – Newborn
- Historical notes on immaturity. Part 1: Measures of viability
- Historical notes on immaturity. Part 2: Surviving against the odds
- Head circumference catch-up growth among preterm very low birth weight infants: effect on neurodevelopmental outcome
- Energy metabolism in umbilical endothelial cells from preterm and term neonates
- Decision-making at the border of viability by means of values clarification: a case study to achieve distinct communication by ordinary language approach
- Neonatal morbidity in term neonates is related to gestational age at birth and level of care
- Letters to the Editor
- Effect of steroids on angiogenic factors in pregnant women with HELLP syndrome
- Acute neonatal respiratory morbidity after prior cesarean
- Congress calendar
- Congress Calendar
