Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:1507-1513
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychological factors in preterm labor: critical review and theoretical synthesis
H Omer and GS Everly Jr
Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Cumulative or chronic environmental stress and high scores on
psychopathology scales have been consistently linked to preterm labor. In
the laboratory, psychological stimuli have also been shown to affect
uterine activity. Clinical studies suggest that interventions which reduce
tension and anxiety can prevent or inhibit preterm labor. A model is
proposed that links preterm labor to a disorder of arousal manifested
physiologically as a hyperreactivity of the limbic circuitry and its
efferent components. Autonomic hyperreactivity has been found repeatedly in
women who experience preterm labor. This central hyperreactivity could
unleash a cascade of psychophysiological reactions that could cause uterine
excitation and facilitate preterm labor.
