[Premature delivery: a traumatic birth? Posttraumatic stress symptoms and associated features].

Objectives: While researches focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following childbirth tend to develop, few studies have been conducted on French samples. The aim of the current study was to explore the prevalence rate of women developing postpartum PTSD following preterm birth and highlighting associated features.

Patients And Method: In the 4weeks following the preterm infant's hospital discharge, a sample of 110 French women (mean age [SD]=29.5 [4.3]years) who delivered prematurely completed questionnaires assessing PTSD symptoms (Impact of Event Scale-Revised) postpartum depressive symptomatology (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), quality of marital relationship (Dyadic Adjustment Scale) and partner support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Sociodemographic and gynecologic data were also gathered.

Results: Thirty percent of our sample reported a score on the IES-R highlighting a probable posttraumatic stress disorder. Increased postpartum depressive symptoms (β=0.47, P<0.05), having undergone a caesarian section (β=0.24, P<0.05), and prior traumatic event (β=0.20, P<0.05), were independently associated with the intensity of PTSD symptoms.

Discussion And Conclusion: Given the traumatic impact of preterm birth on mothers, further studies focusing on the trauma of premature delivery are warranted.