Postpartal Anxiety and Depression in Mothers of Term and Preterm Infants

This study examined differences in anxiety and depression in mothers of term and preterm infants in the first week postpartum and over the next 6 weeks. Mothers of 41 preterm infants were matched with 41 mothers of term infants on parity, type of delivery, age, and race. Sixteen mothers of preterm infants and 10 mothers of term infants completed all 7 weeks of data collection. Mothers of preterm infants were significantly more anxious and depressed than mothers of term infants in the first postpartal week but this difference did not persist over time. Maternal affect was unrelated to parity or type of delivery in the first postpartal week and over time. There were no differences among mothers of premature infants in initial anxiety or depression, based on the level of illness of the infant.