title: Personality, preterm labor contractions, and psychological consequences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research of psychological factors associated with imminent preterm labor (PTL) is sparse, compared with considerable research of preterm birth. We explored state and trait psychological variables associated with PTL, both pre- and postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2012-2014, 56 women hospitalized due to PTL, and 33 pregnant women without PTL, responded during gestational week 20-33, to a demographic questionnaire, the Big-Five Inventory (BFI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Fear of Childbirth Questionnaire, and the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Inventory (MFAS). At 4-6 weeks postpartum, 35 and 23 of the women in the respective groups responded online to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to women without PTL, women with PTL scored higher on neuroticism, openness to experience, and MFAS (p < 0.01 each), scored lower on consciousness and agreeableness (p < 0.01 each), and showed greater fear of childbirth (p < 0.05). Significant differences were not found in the postpartum variables of EPDS and MIBS. In the PTL group, MFAS (β = 0.36, p < 0.01), but not fear of childbirth (β = 0.08, p = NS), remained higher, after controlling for demographic variables and neuroticism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTL was associated with personality variables, but not with psychological consequences, other than elevated prepartum attachment to the fetus.
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo, 2 Rabenu Yeruham St., P.O.B 8401, 68114, Tel Aviv, Israel. jonathanh@013.net.
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Handelzalts
authors.affiliation: The Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, 49100, Petach Tikva, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Haim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krissi
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo, 2 Rabenu Yeruham St., P.O.B 8401, 68114, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sigal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo, 2 Rabenu Yeruham St., P.O.B 8401, 68114, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel-Aviv Yaffo, 2 Rabenu Yeruham St., P.O.B 8401, 68114, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Naama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carmiel
authors.affiliation: The Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, 49100, Petach Tikva, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ashwal
authors.affiliation: The Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, 49100, Petach Tikva, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peled
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology; D019052:Depression, Postpartum; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D000075384:Neuroticism; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Anxiety; Personality; Postpartum depression; Preterm contractions; Preterm labor