The relationship between preterm birth and postpartum anxiety: A first-in-field systematic review.
Preterm birth poses substantial risks to infant health and maternal mental health, particularly anxiety. The evidence base for associations between gestational age and postpartum anxiety has yet to be synthesised as a whole. This first-in-field systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between gestational age at delivery and postpartum anxiety, and explore the experiences of mothers of premature infants with postpartum anxiety.
Searches were conducted across 10 psychological, clinical, and allied health databases from inception to 6th October 2024 (PROSPERO CRD: CRD42023369647). There were no restrictions on language or study design. Only studies that assessed the relationship between gestational age at delivery, or preterm birth, and maternal anxiety assessed during the first postpartum year were eligible for inclusion in this review. Initial searches were conducted by one author. Identification and data extraction of studies were performed by two different authors independently.
Twenty-three studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. All studies were quantitative; no qualitative studies were eligible for inclusion. Data were synthesised via narrative synthesis. Taken together, the results indicate an inverse association between gestational age at delivery (preterm birth) and anxiety.
Variable timing of assessment and tool(s) used to measure postpartum anxiety, alongside limited consideration of categories of gestational age (i.e., extremely, very, moderate-to-late preterm) limit the ability to make firm conclusions about the extent of this relationship.
Searches were conducted across 10 psychological, clinical, and allied health databases from inception to 6th October 2024 (PROSPERO CRD: CRD42023369647). There were no restrictions on language or study design. Only studies that assessed the relationship between gestational age at delivery, or preterm birth, and maternal anxiety assessed during the first postpartum year were eligible for inclusion in this review. Initial searches were conducted by one author. Identification and data extraction of studies were performed by two different authors independently.
Twenty-three studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. All studies were quantitative; no qualitative studies were eligible for inclusion. Data were synthesised via narrative synthesis. Taken together, the results indicate an inverse association between gestational age at delivery (preterm birth) and anxiety.
Variable timing of assessment and tool(s) used to measure postpartum anxiety, alongside limited consideration of categories of gestational age (i.e., extremely, very, moderate-to-late preterm) limit the ability to make firm conclusions about the extent of this relationship.
Authors
Worrall Worrall, Dasgupta Dasgupta, Powell Powell, Devita Devita, Bailey Bailey, Pinker Pinker, Ciuffo Ciuffo, Ionio Ionio, Cronin Cronin, Flynn Flynn, Jackson Jackson, Beato Beato, Wood Wood, Machado-Kayzuka Machado-Kayzuka, Aparicio García Aparicio García, Bozicevic Bozicevic, Costas-Ramón Costas-Ramón, Davie Davie, De Pascalis De Pascalis, Fellows Fellows, Keynejad Keynejad, Maghalian Maghalian, Mirghafourvand Mirghafourvand, Mistry Mistry, René René, Montgomery Montgomery, Awe Awe, Nascimento Nascimento, Dias Dias, El-Dirani El-Dirani, Fulton Fulton, Hakim Hakim, Moreira Moreira, Mourão Mourão, Murphy Murphy, Soulsby Soulsby, Htay Htay, Zurba Zurba, Anderson Anderson, Benton Benton, Payne Payne, Avignon Avignon, Mair Mair, Vass Vass, Alshammari Alshammari, Bradford Bradford, Catsaros Catsaros, Della Vedova Della Vedova, Ford Ford, Heywood Heywood, Peterson Peterson, Deforges Deforges, Pike Pike, Briley Briley, deMontigny deMontigny, Gerhardt Gerhardt, Landoni Landoni, Palma Palma, Souza Torres De Araújo Souza Torres De Araújo, Magee Magee, von Dadelszen von Dadelszen, Christiansen Christiansen, Khalil Khalil, Carter Carter, Carlisle Carlisle, Fallon Fallon, Silverio Silverio
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