Socioeconomic and Psychological State in Threatened Preterm Delivery: Impact of Progesterone Therapy – A Case – Control Study

Background: The individual psychological status is another risk factor in threatened preterm delivery.

Aims: To determine how depression, anxiety, and stress influence pregnancy outcome and condition of the newborn, and the impact of progesterone therapy on pregnant woman’s psychological status in threatened preterm delivery.

Methods: Forty-one pregnant women with the signs of threatened preterm birth and forty controls during their third trimester filled out three questionnaires: the socio-economic survey, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Five days after the introduction of progesterone therapy the study group filled the DASS and EPDS again. The outcomes were the gestational week at delivery, birth weight of the neonate and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Results: Higher scores on DASS and EPDS predicted a delivery in earlier gestational weeks. High anxiety scores during pregnancy were associated with lower birth weight of the neonates. Pregnant women with high anxiety and stress scores more often delivered neonates who were admitted to the intensive care unit. The values of scores on the DASS and EPDS were significantly lower on the fifth day after the introduction of progesterone therapy.

Conclusion: The symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress are associated with preterm delivery, newborns’ lower birth weight and admission to the intensive care unit. The introduction of progesterone therapy can postpone preterm delivery by positively influencing the psychological status of a pregnant woman.