Experiences of adults born extremely preterm –The impact of prematurity throughout their lives into adulthood

IF 2.2 3区医学 Q2 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Early human development Pub Date : 2025-02-26 DOI:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106228

Bente Johanne Vederhus , Merete R. Benestad , Jorunn Drageset , Beate-Christin Hope Kolltveit

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Neonatal medicine has advanced significantly over the past few decades, leading to improved survival rates for infants born extremely preterm (EP). Being born extremely preterm increases the risk of various long-term health issues and impairments that may affect an individual's well-being and success in life. As these individuals now reach adulthood, we have limited knowledge of outcomes based on their personal experiences.

Aims

To explore how adults born EP perceive the impact of prematurity throughout their lives into adulthood.

Study design

A qualitative study design within an interpretive paradigm.

Methods

We conducted 11 in-depth interviews with individuals who were born EP (gestational age ≤ 28 weeks) in 1989 to 1990, when they were 33 years old. A semi-structured interview guide was applied asking about if and how being born EP had affected their life and how they had experienced the transition to adulthood. The data were analysed by using reflexive thematic analyse by Braun & Clarke.

Results

Five themes were generated through the analysis: gratitude for life, general vulnerability, adaptability, strong bonding to significant others and nurturance.

Conclusions

The overall impression of the stories shared by adults born EP is that, despite having faced significant physical, mental, social and educational challenges, they seem to have managed well. Through personal resilience and the support of key figures in their lives, they have been able to navigate these difficulties. However, these challenges warrant attention.

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极度早产的成年人的经历——早产对他们成年后生活的影响

在过去的几十年里，新生儿医学取得了显著的进步，导致极早产儿（EP）的存活率提高。极度早产会增加各种长期健康问题和损害的风险，这些问题和损害可能会影响个人的幸福和生活中的成功。由于这些人现在已经成年，我们对基于他们个人经历的结果的了解有限。目的探讨出生在EP的成年人如何感知早产对他们成年生活的影响。研究设计在解释范式内的定性研究设计。方法对1989 ~ 1990年出生EP（胎龄≤28周）的33岁孕妇进行了11次深度访谈。采用了半结构化的访谈指南，询问出生后的EP是否以及如何影响了他们的生活，以及他们如何经历了向成年期的过渡。数据分析采用Braun &；克拉克。结果通过分析产生了五个主题：感恩生活、普遍脆弱性、适应性、与重要他人的强烈联系和养育。从EP出生的成年人分享的故事中，总的印象是，尽管他们面临着重大的身体、心理、社会和教育挑战，但他们似乎处理得很好。通过个人的韧性和生活中关键人物的支持，他们能够克服这些困难。然而，这些挑战值得关注。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Early human development 医学-妇产科学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

4.00%

发文量

100

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Established as an authoritative, highly cited voice on early human development, Early Human Development provides a unique opportunity for researchers and clinicians to bridge the communication gap between disciplines. Creating a forum for the productive exchange of ideas concerning early human growth and development, the journal publishes original research and clinical papers with particular emphasis on the continuum between fetal life and the perinatal period; aspects of postnatal growth influenced by early events; and the safeguarding of the quality of human survival. The first comprehensive and interdisciplinary journal in this area of growing importance, Early Human Development offers pertinent contributions to the following subject areas: Fetology; perinatology; pediatrics; growth and development; obstetrics; reproduction and fertility; epidemiology; behavioural sciences; nutrition and metabolism; teratology; neurology; brain biology; developmental psychology and screening.