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Elevated risk for depression has been identified in mothers of preterm infants, but the evolution of symptoms has not been well-described. In addition, fathers' experiences typically have not been included in studies of parental distress in the preterm newborn period.
Researchers in Australia compared depression and anxiety symptoms between mothers and fathers of 149 very preterm infants (<30 weeks' gestational age) and 151 full-term infants (≥37 weeks' gestational age) shortly after birth and at 6 months. In addition, they assessed symptoms in parents of very preterm infants every 2 weeks until 40 weeks' postmenstrual age. Adjustments were made for perinatal factors (e.g., plurality, illness severity, gestational age) and social factors (e.…