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Premature birth represents a very stressful moment for parents. The present study confirms that this perinatal event can be considered as a trauma, which can have many long-term emotional consequences even when the baby is medically healthy. It may have effects on the quality of parenthood in terms of attachment and interactive competencies. Two forms of parental response to this event can be observed: emotional hyperactivation or deactivation, both of which can disrupt the parent-infant relationship. The first parental response (emotional hyperactivation) can be described as an amplified preoccupation with the infant and its development, often accompanied by a controlling pattern of interaction and increased post-traumatic stress symptoms. The second type of parental response is characterized by a kind of emotional distance and an avoidance of proximity, accompanied by a relatively surprising absence of post-traumatic symptoms. Mothers who are securely attached to their baby seem to best survive this stressful perinatal event.