Mothers of babies diagnosed small for gestational age during pregnancy show poorer emotional health than fathers
Mothers of babies diagnosed small for gestational age (SGA) during pregnancy show poorer emotional health compared to their male partners, and more symptoms of psychological distress. Furthermore, levels of resilience are lower among mothers than among fathers.
This is clear from a study carried out by a multidisciplinary team of scientists from the intestinal immunomodulation research group of the ibs.GRANADA, the University of Granada and the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service and Pediatrics Service of the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital in Granada, that has analyzed the psychological distress (stress, anxiety and depression) experienced by mothers and fathers of SGA babies, the resilience or ability to overcome it and be able to overcome it and the influence that both have on the neurodevelopment of SGA babies.
Mothers and fathers experience pregnancy and its circumstances with anticipation and some level of stress, although possibly at different levels between mothers and fathers. However, when pregnant women experience chronic stress, they are more likely to be able to cope with it if they have high levels of resilience, defined as the ability to successfully withstand a threatening and challenging situation, and even thrive in the midst of adversity. Resilience, therefore, can be viewed as an index of mental health.
This prospective study, which has been published in the prestigious journal Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, compares two groups of fathers and newborns: case group (52 mothers and fathers and 26 SGA babies) and control group (68 mothers and fathers and 34 babies with adequate growth for their gestational age-AGA-).
Symptoms of psychological distress
The findings indicate that mothers do not show the same level of emotional health during pregnancy as their male partners, according to the symptoms of psychological distress presented. Furthermore, levels of resilience are lower among mothers than among fathers.
Neurobehavioral performance among newborns with SGA is immature with respect to that shown by newborns with AGA. This result could be exacerbated by high stress and low resilience among mothers; both factors can predict neurobehavioral behavior in the newborn.
As Maria Mercedes Bellido Gonzalez, researcher at ibs.GRANADA and the Department of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology of the UGR; and main author of this work, "these findings led our multidisciplinary team, made up of psychologists, gynecologists, pediatricians and computer engineers, to create a Prenatal Psychological Care Program (PAP-PRE) that aims to reduce psychological distress, increase resilience and promote the exchange of parental responsibilities during pregnancy and the newborn's first years of life”.
This program has been materialized in the VIVEmbarazo app, which allows parents to be guided through their mobile phones in carrying out the PAP-PRE in a way that is adapted and personalized to their needs and daily life.
Sara Balderas Díaz, Gabriel Jesús Guerrero Contreras, María José Rodríguez Fortiz and José Luís Garrido Bullejos, researchers from the Department of Computer Languages and Systems at the University of Granada, have been involved in the design and development of this app, as well as in the monitoring physiological treatment of pregnant women using sensor bracelets (wearable devices).
In this app, experts offer guidelines to mothers and fathers to manage stress, take care of their diet and exercise and communicate with their future baby through visual (light), auditory (music, songs, stories), tactile (massage) stimuli and flavors. In addition, the gynecologist and the midwife explain and advise on how to have a healthy pregnancy.
At the present time, after the application of the PAP-PRE, “we are registering a high level of satisfaction on the part of the families in the Citizenship Attention Unit of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada. Thus, we observe that the research developed has a positive impact on the well-being of families with babies at neurological risk”, says Bellido.
Bibliographic reference:
Bellido-González, M., Robles-Ortega, H., Castelar-Ríos, MJ, Díaz-López, M. Á., Gallo-Vallejo, JL, Moreno-Galdó, MF, & de los Santos-Roig, M. (2019). Psychological distress and resilience of mothers and fathers with respect to the neurobehavioral performance of small-for-gestational-age newborns. Health and quality of life outcomes, 17(1), 54.
LIVEpregnancy. University of Granada.