title: Late preterm birth is a strong predictor of maternal stress later in life: Retrospective cohort study in school-aged children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the level of stress in mothers of school-aged children born late preterm and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with the level of maternal stress if a child was born late preterm and not admitted to the ICU as well as if a full-term child was admitted to the ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective cohort study the data were gathered via telephone interview with mothers. The Parenting Stress Index/Short Form was used to determine the level of stress in mothers. Background demographic characteristics, medically relevant variables, and the level of stress were tested using the chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Logistic regression was used in order to identify predictors of significant level of stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers of late preterm born children who were admitted to the ICU, as well as mothers of late preterm children who were not admitted had higher level of stress compared to mothers of full-term children. Namely, mothers of late preterm born children admitted to the ICU had 18-fold increase in risk for significant level of total stress (OR = 18.09; 95% CI 8.55 to 38.26) while 24-fold greater risk was observed in mothers of late preterm children who were not admitted to the ICU (OR = 24.05; 95% CI 10.66 to 54.26) in comparison to mothers of full-term born children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that preterm birth and its complications are associated with a higher level of stress in mothers, that persists to school age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, PICU, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Polic
authors.affiliation: Chair for Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Andreja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bubic
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, PICU, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Julije
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mestrovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, PICU, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Markic
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, PICU, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kovacevic
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, PICU, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juric
authors.affiliation: The Health Centre of Split-Dalmatia County, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Roberta Andrea
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Tesija
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Susnjar
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Medical School University of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kolcic
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: intensive care unit; maternal stress; prematurely born infant; term birth