The connection between maltreatment and preterm birth - in the light of psychomotor development at 2 years old

Abstract

Preterm children' development and harmful affecting factors to development are important aspects of public health, because in our country the number of preterm birth is very high. Description of psychomotor development of preterm children (Brunet-Lézine; Bayley-III) and connection between psychomotor development and maternal abuse history (own questionnaire). Extremely (<1000 g) and very low (1000-1500 g) birth weight preterm children at 23-30 months (n = 35) and their mothers' abuse history were measured. Lower birth weight was associated with lower psychomotor development quotients and higher development risk. Strong associations were found between maternal history of childhood abuse and the development quotients. We would like to draw attention to the importance of assessing preterm children, as well as to the importance of maltreatment and the severity of its consequences. With the early recognition of necessity for developmental interventions we can prevent problems in the future. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(25): 976-983.