Gender Differences in Parental Reactions to the Birth of a Premature Low Birth Weight Infant

The present study assessed differences in stress responses of mothers and
fathers of premature low birth weight infants. The sample consisted of 45 parents, 32 mothers and 13 fathers
whose infants ranged in age from six to forty-eight months. At birth, these children’s length of gestation ranged
from 23-37 weeks, and they weighed between 351-2817 grams. Results indicated that mothers experience
more stress symptoms six months after the birth of their premature children than do fathers. Furthermore,
mothers’ intrusive stress experiences outnumber fathers’ when their premature infants reach six months of age.
These findings highlight the differential experience of mothers and fathers when their child is born prematurely.
The impact of sample size on our findings is also discussed, as are implications for future research. KEY
WORDS: Premature, low birth weight, stress, and parental reactions.