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Am J Perinatol 2018; 35(12): 1168-1172
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1641591
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Couples Facing the Birth of a Newborn with a Congenital Anomaly: PTSD Symptoms in the First Year

Francesca Bevilacqua
1   Unit of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Francesco Morini
2   Department of Neonatal Medicine and Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Antonio Zaccara
3   Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Chiara De Marchis
2   Department of Neonatal Medicine and Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Annabella Braguglia
2   Department of Neonatal Medicine and Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Simonetta Gentile
1   Unit of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Pietro Bagolan
2   Department of Neonatal Medicine and Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Lucia Aite
1   Unit of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

11 August 2017

28 February 2018

Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in parental couples of newborn requiring early surgery at 6 and 12 months after birth.

Study Design A longitudinal study was set up from January 2014 to June 2015. As a measure of PTSD, we used the Italian version of the Impact of Event Scale—Revised (IES-R).

Results Thirty-four couples form the object of the study. At 6 months, half of mothers (52.9%) and fathers (44.1%) reported traumatic stress symptoms above the clinical cutoff. Percentages remained stable at 12 months. When parental gender and length of follow-up were compared with two-factor analysis of variance, none had an impact on IES-R score, nor an interaction between these factors was found. A significant correlation of IES-R total score was present within the couple both at 6 and 12 months (6 months—r: 0.6842, p < 0.0001 and 12 months—r: 0.4045, p = 0.0177).

Conclusion Having a child with a repaired malformation represents a complex prolonged stressful situation with persistent burden for both parents who are at high risk of developing PTSD symptoms.

Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorder - neonatal intensive care - newborn surgery
 

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