Sleep and Health-Related Quality of Life in Parents of Preterm and Full-Born Infants

Abstract

Background: After childbirth, parents may experience sleep pattern changes, especially in the first few months. The newborn child may have an unpredictable circadian rhythm that affects the parents’ sleep, yet many experience new parenthood as a joyful period. In contrast, a premature birth can be experienced as a crisis for the family. The premature baby may need advanced medical treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit, and high stress levels can negatively affect the parents’ sleep. Sleep is important for mental and physical health; thus, sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality can lead to health problems and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for parents. There was sparse systematic knowledge about the sleep and health of parents of premature children at the start of this project. There was also limited knowledge about whether this group is more prone to having too little and poor sleep quality and reduced HRQoL compared to parents of full-born children. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to study sleep and the relationship between sleep and HRQOL in parents of preterm infants in the postpartum phase (the child is 2-12 months). Furthermore, the purpose was to compare sleep and HRQoL in mothers and fathers of preterm infants with mothers and fathers of full-born infants in the same time period. Design, sample and methods: The study was designed as a comparative longitudinal cohort study with three measurement points (2, 6 and 12 months after childbirth). Sleep and health-related outcomes from two parent groups (parents of preterm and full-born infants) were evaluated and compared prospectively. Parents were recruited from neonatal and maternity wards at several hospitals. To identify research needs related to sleep in parents of premature newborns, a systematic knowledge summary (scoping review) was first performed (2018). Regarding the longitudinal study, major challenges associated with recruiting and collecting data from parents of premature children became apparent. It was therefore decided to conduct a systematic analysis of the feasibility of a longitudinal study and publish the results, as this was considered to have a great value for future studies. Data collection in the longitudinal study was performed…