Prospective Study on Factors Related to Development in Premature Infants at Six-Months

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to monitor the development of Korean premature infant at six-month age and to explore factors related to developmental status of the premature infants. Methods: Participants were 58 premature infants whose corrected age was six-months old and their mothers. The developmental states of infants were followed-up with the Korean Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (KPDQ-II). Clinical characteristics of the infants were identified from the medical records. Other characteristics including Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, husband’s support, social support, and mother-infant attachment were assessed using self-report questionnaires from the mothers. Results: Forty three percent of the infants were in the group of questionable status of development on the KPDQ-II. There were significant differences between the premature infants with normal developmental status and those with questionable developmental status depending on gender (χ2 = 5.03, p = .034), gestational age (t = 2.59, p = .012), hospital stay (p = .013), revised Neurobiologic Risk Score (p = .005) and mother-infant attachment score (t = 2.12, p = .040). Conclusion: Mother-infant attachment, as well as physiological state of premature infants, is an important variable in early development. Therefore, early monitoring for the development has to be done for physiologically vulnerable premature groups. Also, providing proper nursing support to improve maternal attachment needs to be considered.

Keywords

• Premature infant
• Development
• Mothers
• Attachment