Personality, preterm labor contractions, and psychological consequences
Abstract
Purpose Research of psychological factors associated with imminent preterm labor (PTL) is sparse, compared with considerable research of preterm birth. We explored state and trait psychological variables associated with PTL, both pre- and postpartum.Methods During 2012-2014, 56 women hospitalized due to PTL, and 33 pregnant women without PTL, responded during gestational week 20-33, to a demographic questionnaire, the Big-Five Inventory (BFI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Fear of Childbirth Questionnaire, and the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Inventory (MFAS). At 4-6 weeks postpartum, 35 and 23 of the women in the respective groups responded online to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS).Results Compared to women without PTL, women with PTL scored higher on neuroticism, openness to experience, and MFAS (p < 0.01 each), scored lower on consciousness and agreeableness (p < 0.01 each), and showed greater fear of childbirth (p < 0.05). Significant differences were not found in the postpartum variables of EPDS and MIBS. In the PTL group, MFAS (β = 0.36, p < 0.01), but not fear of childbirth (β = 0.08, p = NS), remained higher, after controlling for demographic variables and neuroticism.Conclusions PTL was associated with personality variables, but not with psychological consequences, other than elevated prepartum attachment to the fetus.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Cites
Detection of Postnatal Depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., & Sagovsky, R. (1987) · British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.150.6.782 · Cited by 14,183 · see citing works
Epidemiology and causes of preterm birth
Goldenberg, R. L., Culhane, J. F., Iams, J. D., & Romero, R. (2008) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(08)60074-4 · Cited by 7,801 · see citing works
Psychological Assessment Resources
Abidin, R. R. (1995) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 3,140 · see citing works
The worldwide incidence of preterm birth: a systematic review of maternal mortality and morbidity
Beck, S., WOJDYLA, D. M., Say, L., Betrán, A. P., Meraldi, M., Requejo, J. H., Rubens, C. E., Menon, R., & Look, P. V. (2009) · Bulletin of the World Health Organization · doi:10.2471/blt.08.062554 · Cited by 2,143 · see citing works
Antenatal risk factors for postpartum depression: a synthesis of recent literature
Robertson, E., Grace, S., Wallington, T., & Stewart, D. E. (2004) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2004.02.006 · Cited by 1,886 · see citing works
Personality disorders and the five factor model of personality
Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1990) · Journal of Personality Disorders · doi:10.1521/pedi.1990.4.4.362 · Cited by 1,653 · see citing works
Schetter, C. D. (2010) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.031809.130727 · Cited by 909 · see citing works
Development of a Tool for the Measurement of Maternal Attachment During Pregnancy
Cranley, M. S. (1981) · Nursing Research · doi:10.1097/00006199-198109000-00008 · Cited by 803 · see citing works
The Enigma of Spontaneous Preterm Birth
Muglia, L. J., & Katz, M. (2010) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmra0904308 · Cited by 678 · see citing works
A new Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale: links with early maternal mood
Taylor, A., Atkins, R., Kumar, R., Adams, D., & Glover, V. (2005) · Archives of Women’s Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s00737-005-0074-z · Cited by 481 · see citing works
Maternal anxiety during the transition to parenthood: A prospective study
Grant, K., McMahon, C. A., & Austin, M. (2007) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2007.10.002 · Cited by 467 · see citing works
Epidemiology of preterm birth and its clinical subtypes
Ananth, C. V., Ananth, C. V., & Vintzileos, A. M. (2006) · The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine · doi:10.1080/14767050600965882 · Cited by 461 · see citing works
Health Status and the Five-factor Personality Traits in a Nationally Representative Sample
Goodwin, R. D., & Friedman, H. S. (2006) · Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1177/1359105306066610 · Cited by 421 · see citing works
Role of Anxiety and Depression in the Onset of Spontaneous Preterm Labor
Dayan, J. (2002) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/aje/155.4.293 · Cited by 323 · see citing works
A meta-analytic study of predictors of maternal-fetal attachment
Yarcheski, A., Mahon, N. E., Yarcheski, T. J., Hanks, M. M., & Cannella, B. L. (2008) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.10.013 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and preterm birth: associations and mechanisms
Shapiro, G. D., Fraser, W., Frasch, M. G., & Séguin, J. (2013) · Journal of Perinatal Medicine · doi:10.1515/jpm-2012-0295 · Cited by 278 · see citing works
Prematurity: An Overview and Public Health Implications
McCormick, M. C., Litt, J. S., Smith, V. C., & Zupancic, J. A. F. (2011) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090810-182459 · Cited by 260 · see citing works
A randomized controlled trial of intervention in fear of childbirth*1
Saisto, T. (2001) · Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/s0029-7844(01)01552-6 · Cited by 231 · see citing works
Räisänen, S., Lehto, S. M., Nielsen, H. S., Gissler, M., Kramer, M. R., & Heinonen, S. T. (2014) · BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/1471-0528.12599 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
Goecke, T. W., Voigt, F., Faschingbauer, F., Spangler, G., Beckmann, M. W., & Beetz, A. (2012) · Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics · doi:10.1007/s00404-012-2286-6 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Risk and protective factors in maternal–fetal attachment development
Pisoni, C., Garofoli, F., Tzialla, C., Orcesi, S., Spinillo, A., Politi, P., Balottin, U., Manzoni, P., & Stronati, M. (2014) · Early Human Development · doi:10.1016/s0378-3782(14)50012-6 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Personality, fear of childbirth and birth outcomes in nulliparous women
Handelzalts, J. E., Becker, G., Ahren, M.-P., Lurie, S., Raz, N., Tamir, Z., & Sadan, O. (2015) · Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics · doi:10.1007/s00404-014-3532-x · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Self-citationHenderson, J., McWilliam, O. A., Newnham, J. P., & Pennell, C. E. (2011) · The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine · doi:10.3109/14767058.2011.597899 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Depression and anxiety among high-risk obstetric inpatients
Byatt, N., Hicks-Courant, K., Davidson, A., Levesque, R., Mick, E., Allison, J., & Moore Simas, T. A. (2014) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.07.011 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
Depression and anxiety in Singaporean high-risk pregnancies—prevalence and screening
Thiagayson, P., Krishnaswamy, G., Lim, M. L., Sung, S. C., Haley, C. L., Fung, D. S. S., Allen, J. C., & Chen, H. (2013) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2012.11.006 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Cumulative psychosocial stress, coping resources, and preterm birth
McDonald, S., Kingston, D. E., Bayrampour, H., Dolan, S. M., & Tough, S. (2014) · Archives of Women s Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s00737-014-0436-5 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Personality and risk for postpartum depressive symptoms
Iliadis, S. I., Koulouris, P., Gingnell, M., Sylvén, S. M., Sundström-Poromaa, I., Ekselius, L., Papadopoulos, F. C., & Skalkidou, A. (2015) · Archives of Women's Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s00737-014-0478-8 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Maternal trait personality and childbirth: The role of extraversion and neuroticism
Johnston, R. G., & Brown, A. (2012) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2012.08.005 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Maternal foetal attachment and personality during first pregnancy
Sjögren, B., Edman, G., Widström, A.-M., MATTHIESEN, A. ‐., & Uvnäs‐Moberg, K. (2004) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/0264683042000205936 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Factors implicated in moderating the risk for depression and anxiety in high risk pregnancy
Denis, A., Michaux, P., & Callahan, S. (2012) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/02646838.2012.677020 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
White, O., McCorry, N., Scott‐Heyes, G., Dempster, M., & Manderson, J. G. (2008) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/02646830801918455 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Effects of personality on use of medications, alcohol, and cigarettes during pregnancy
Ystrøm, E., Vollrath, M. E., & Nordeng, H. (2011) · European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00228-011-1197-y · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Maternal–fetal relationships and psychological health: emerging research directions
Walsh, J., Hepper, E. G., Bagge, S., Wadephul, F., & Jomeen, J. (2013) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/02646838.2013.834311 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Psychosocial Factors Associated with Preterm Uterine Contractions
Facchinetti, F., Ottolini, F., Fazzio, M., Rigatelli, M., & Volpe, A. (2007) · Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics · doi:10.1159/000107568 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Coping style and preterm labor
Demyttenaere, K., Maes, A., Nijs, P., Odendael, H., & Assche, F. A. V. (1995) · Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology · doi:10.3109/01674829509042786 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Effects of Personality on Psychiatric and Somatic Symptoms in Pregnant Women
Peñacoba, C., Monge, F. J. C., Abellán, I. C., & Marín‐Morales, D. (2011) · Psychology of Women Quarterly · doi:10.1177/0361684310384105 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Maternal personality traits and risk of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction
Chatzi, L., Koutra, K., Vassilaki, M., Vardiampasis, A., Georgiou, V., Koutis, A., Lionis, C., Bitsios, P., & Kogevinas, M. (2013) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2011.11.006 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Role of Perceived Stress in the Occurrence of Preterm Labor and Preterm Birth Among Urban Women
Seravalli, L., Patterson, F., & Nelson, D. B. (2014) · Journal of Midwifery & Women s Health · doi:10.1111/jmwh.12088 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Fear of Childbirth in Late Pregnancy
Areskog, B., Uddenberg, N., & Kjessler, B. (1982) · Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey · doi:10.1097/00006254-198205000-00003 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Personality and adolescent pregnancy outcomes
Harville, E. W., Madkour, A. S., & Xie, Y. (2014) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/jan.12481 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Prevalence of Depression or Anxiety During Antepartum Hospitalizations for Obstetric Complications
Toscano, M., Royzer, R., Castillo, D., Li, D., & Poleshuck, E. (2021) · Obstetrics & Gynecology · doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000004335 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Hanko, C., Bittner, A., Junge-Hoffmeister, J., Mogwitz, S., Nitzsche, K., & Weidner, K. (2020) · Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics · doi:10.1007/s00404-019-05406-3 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
- Authors
- Handelzalts, J. E., Krissi, H., Levy, S., Freund, Y., Carmiel, N., Ashwal, E., & Peled, Y.
- Affiliations
- Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo (IL)
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Handelzalts, Jonathan E.
- Venue
- Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
- Published
- 2015-09-24
- Volume
- 293
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 575-582
- ISSN
- 0003-9128 (ISSN-L)
- 0932-0067
- 1432-0711
- OpenAlex
- W2147192210
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 1.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Preterm Birth and Chorioamnionitis
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- preterm labor, personality traits, Big Five personality traits, neuroticism, maternal-fetal attachment, fear of childbirth, postpartum depression, mother-infant bonding, preterm birth risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Neuroticism, Adult, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Fear, Female, Gestational Age, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Obstetric Labor, Premature, Mothers, Personality, Personality Inventory, Pregnancy, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Depression, Postpartum, Parturition, Delivery, Obstetric, Pregnant People
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review