Indicators of maternal anxiety, stress, and depression and developmental outcomes in preterm children: A systematic review

Abstract

The study was conducted in Brazil and aimed to systematically review empirical research examining the association between maternal indicators of anxiety, stress, and depression and the developmental outcomes of preterm children. A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS, and SciELO. Sixteen studies were analyzed. The systematic review revealed a significant association between maternal anxiety, depression, and stress indicators and poorer developmental outcomes for children born prematurely. This association was observed whether it was considered a single indicator of maternal mental health or a combination of two or more indicators. The systematic review affirms the impact of maternal mental health on the development of preterm children in early childhood.