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Vankayalapati A, Wamwere-Njoroge G, Fujita M. Effects of household composition on infant feeding and mother-infant health in northern Kenya. Am J Hum Biol 2024; 36:e23993. [PMID: 37767929 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Households with alloparents, individuals other than the mother who care for an infant, can shift members' roles and affect mother-infant health. AIMS To investigate how household composition relates to infant feeding and infectious disease risk in mother-infant dyads, the team utilized data from breastfeeding dyads (n 208) surveyed during a prolonged drought and food scarcity in northern Kenya. METHODS Households were classified by the presence/absence of potential alloparents, distinguishing non-siblings and siblings of the infant. Regression models for breastfeeding frequency, complementary feeding status, and recent infections (n 83) evaluated these outcomes' associations with household type while accounting for food insecurity, adjusted for infant age, infant sex, and maternal age. RESULTS Household type was unassociated with breastfeeding frequency, but the presence of non-sibling alloparents interacted with food insecurity, predicting increasing breastfeeding frequency as food insecurity intensified among dyads living with non-sibling alloparents. Households with non-sibling alloparents were also inversely associated with complementary feeding but had no association with infection. Households with siblings were inversely associated with (protective against) infant and maternal infection. CONCLUSION Further research is needed to understand the interactive influence of household social and food ecologies on mother-infant diet and health under diverse cultural rules and norms for alloparenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vankayalapati
- Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Biomarker Laboratory for Anthropological Research, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | | | - M Fujita
- Biomarker Laboratory for Anthropological Research, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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Chaudhary N, Page AE, Salali GD, Dyble M, Major-Smith D, Migliano AB, Vinicius L, Thompson J, Viguier S. Hunter-Gatherer children's close-proximity networks: Similarities and differences with cooperative and communal breeding systems. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2024; 6:e11. [PMID: 38516373 PMCID: PMC10955362 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Among vertebrates, allomothering (non-maternal care) is classified as cooperative breeding (help from sexually mature non-breeders, usually close relatives) or communal breeding (shared care between multiple breeders who are not necessarily related). Humans have been described with both labels, most frequently as cooperative breeders. However, few studies have quantified the relative contributions of allomothers according to whether they are (a) sexually mature and reproductively active and (b) related or unrelated. We constructed close-proximity networks of Agta and BaYaka hunter-gatherers. We used portable remote-sensing devices to quantify the proportion of time children under the age of 4 spent in close proximity to different categories of potential allomother. Both related and unrelated, and reproductively active and inactive, campmates had substantial involvement in children's close-proximity networks. Unrelated campmates, siblings and subadults were the most involved in both populations, whereas the involvement of fathers and grandmothers was the most variable between the two populations. Finally, the involvement of sexually mature, reproductively inactive adults was low. Where possible, we compared our findings with studies of other hunter-gatherer societies, and observed numerous consistent trends. Based on our results we discuss why hunter-gatherer allomothering cannot be fully characterised as cooperative or communal breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Chaudhary
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QH, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Abigail E. Page
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical and Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Gul Deniz Salali
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Mark Dyble
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QH, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Daniel Major-Smith
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 2BN, UK
| | - Andrea B. Migliano
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lucio Vinicius
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - James Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Sylvain Viguier
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
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Knorr DA, Fox MM. Maternal grandmothers buffer the effects of ethnic discrimination among pregnant Latina mothers. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2023; 6:e7. [PMID: 38516370 PMCID: PMC10955360 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2023.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Ethnic discrimination during pregnancy is linked to maternal psychological distress, adverse birth outcomes and increased offspring morbidity and mortality. An evolutionary perspective reframes offspring health issues as a risk to maternal fitness. We argue that kin may be evolutionarily motivated to buffer psychosocial stressors for the mother during pregnancy. Previously, we found that the relationship of a pregnant woman with her own mother (fetus' maternal grandmother) had a positive association on maternal prenatal psychology, above and beyond her relationship with her fetus' father. Here, we ask if grandmothers buffer mothers' prenatal psychological distress from ethnic discrimination. Using self-report data collected from 216 pregnant Latina women living in Southern California, we found discrimination to be significantly, positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress in linear regression models. Maternal grandmother communication attenuated the association of discrimination and all three psychological distress measures, adjusting for the mother's relationship with the father. Maternal grandmother emotional support similarly significantly moderated the relationship of discrimination with depression and anxiety. We did not observe any significant interactions for paternal grandmother relationships. Geographic proximity was not a significant stress buffer. Results suggest the important role maternal grandmothers play in perinatal mental health, and that these benefits exist uncoupled from geographic proximity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delaney A. Knorr
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Molly M. Fox
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Dib S, Fewtrell M, Wells JCK. Maternal capital predicts investment in infant growth and development through lactation. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1272938. [PMID: 37885440 PMCID: PMC10598761 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1272938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maternal capital (MC) is a broad term from evolutionary biology, referring to any aspects of maternal phenotype that represent resources available for investment in offspring. We investigated MC in breastfeeding mothers of late preterm and early term infants, examining its relationship with infant and breastfeeding outcomes. We also determined whether MC modified the effect of the relaxation intervention on these outcomes. Methods The data was collected as part of a randomized controlled trial investigating breastfeeding relaxation in 72 mothers of late preterm and early term infants. Indicators of MC (socioeconomic, social, somatic, reproductive, psychological, and cognitive) were collected at baseline at 2-3 weeks post-delivery. Principal Component Analysis was conducted for the MC measures and two components were identified: 1."Subjective" maternal capital which included stress and depression scores, and 2."Objective" maternal capital which included height, infant birth weight, and verbal memory. Univariate linear regression was conducted to assess the relationship between objective and subjective MC (predictors) and infant growth, infant behavior, maternal behavior, and infant feeding variables (outcomes) at 6-8 weeks. The interaction of MC and intervention assignment with outcomes was assessed. Results Higher objective MC was significantly associated with higher infant weight (0.43; 95%CI 0.21,0.66) and length z-scores (0.47; 95%CI 0.19,0.76), shorter duration of crying (-17.5; 95%CI -33.2,-1.9), and lower food (-0.28; 95%CI -0.48,-0.08) and satiety responsiveness (-0.17; 95%CI -0.31,-0.02) at 6-8 weeks. It was also associated with greater maternal responsiveness to infant cues (-0.05, 95%CI -0.09,-0.02 for non-responsiveness). Greater subjective maternal capital was significantly associated with higher breastfeeding frequency (2.3; 95%CI 0.8,3.8) and infant appetite (0.30; 95%CI 0.07,0.54). There was a significant interaction between the intervention assignment and objective MC for infant length, with trends for infant weight and crying, which indicated that the intervention had greater effects among mothers with lower capital. Conclusion Higher MC was associated with better infant growth and shorter crying duration. This was possibly mediated through more frequent breastfeeding and prompt responsiveness to infant cues, reflecting greater maternal investment. The findings also suggest that a relaxation intervention was most effective among those with low MC, suggesting some reduction in social inequalities in health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jonathan C. K. Wells
- Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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Pittet F, Hinde K. Meager Milk: Lasting Consequences for Adult Daughters of Primiparous Mothers Among Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:569-584. [PMID: 37170073 PMCID: PMC10503474 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Among mammals, primipara who initiate reproduction before full maturity can be constrained in their maternal investment, both due to fewer somatic resources and tradeoffs between their own continued development and reproductive effort. Primipara are particularly limited in their capacity to synthesize milk during lactation, the costliest aspect of reproduction for most mammals, especially primates due to long periods of postnatal development. Due to reduced milk transfer, Firstborns may be at elevated risk for long-term consequences of deficits in early life endowment from their primiparous mothers. Here we investigated mass, growth, stature, and lactation performance among N = 273 adult daughters across N = 335 reproductions, who were their own mother's Firstborn or Laterborn progeny, among rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the California National Primate Research Center. We further explored mass during infancy of the offspring of Firstborn and Laterborn mothers. Firstborns had accelerated growth during infancy, but had slowed growth during juvenility, compared to Laterborns. Although both Firstborns and Laterborns were the same age at reproductive debut, Firstborns had lower body mass, an effect that persisted throughout the reproductive career. Available milk energy, the product of milk energetic density and milk yield, was on average 16% lower for Firstborns compared to Laterborns, a difference that was only partially mediated by their lower mass. Despite differences in their mothers' energy provision through milk, the mass of infants of Firstborn and Laterborn mothers did not differ at peak lactation, suggesting that infants of Firstborns devote a higher proportion of milk energy to growth than infants of Laterborns. To date few studies have explored how early life conditions shape capacities to synthesize milk and milk composition. Our findings contribute new information among primates on how early life maternal endowments are associated with persistent effects long after the period of maternal dependence well into reproductive maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Pittet
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Katie Hinde
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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Fox MM, Knorr DA, Kwon D, Wiley KS, Parrish MH. How prenatal cortisol levels relate to grandmother-mother relationships among a cohort of Latina women. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23883. [PMID: 36862026 PMCID: PMC10474942 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As part of the human reproductive strategy, mothers receive childcare assistance from others. For kin, allomothers are adaptively incentivized to provide assistance due to inclusive fitness benefits. Previous studies across a broad range of populations identify grandmothers as particularly consistent allomothers. Minimal attention has been paid to the possibility that allomothers may begin investing in offspring quality during the prenatal stage of life. Here, we innovate within the area of grandmother allocare research by examining the prenatal stage of life and biopsychosocial mechanisms by which prenatal grandmother effects may be enacted. METHODS Data derive from the Mothers' Cultural Experiences study, a cohort of 107 pregnant Latina women in Southern California. At <16 weeks' gestation, we administered questionnaires, collected morning urine samples, and measured cortisol by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, correcting for specific gravity. We measured the soon-to-be maternal and paternal grandmothers' relationship quality, social support, frequency of seeing each other, communicating, and geographic proximity to pregnant mothers, that is, their daughters and daughters-in-law. These measures were self-reported by the pregnant mothers. We assessed how grandmother constructs related to the pregnant women's depression, stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels. RESULTS We observed benefits conferred by maternal grandmothers for mothers' prenatal mental health and lower cortisol levels. Paternal grandmothers also conferred mental health benefits to pregnant daughters-in-law, but higher cortisol levels. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that grandmothers, especially maternal grandmothers, are able to improve their inclusive fitness by caring for pregnant daughters, and allomother support may positively impact prenatal health. This work extends the traditional cooperative breeding model by identifying a prenatal grandmother effect, and, by examining a maternal biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly M. Fox
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Delaney A. Knorr
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Dayoon Kwon
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Kyle S. Wiley
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Michael H. Parrish
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
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Riem MME, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Cima M, van IJzendoorn MH. Grandparental Support and Maternal Postpartum Mental Health : A Review and Meta-Analysis. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2023; 34:25-45. [PMID: 36750511 PMCID: PMC9905757 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-023-09440-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Support from grandparents plays a role in mothers' perinatal mental health. However, previous research on maternal mental health has mainly focused on influences of partner support or general social support and neglected the roles of grandparents. In this narrative review and meta-analysis, the scientific evidence on the association between grandparental support and maternal perinatal mental health is reviewed. Searches in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and PsycINFO yielded 11 empirical studies on N = 3381 participants, reporting on 35 effect sizes. A multilevel approach to meta-analysis was applied to test the association between grandparental support and maternal mental health. The results showed a small, statistically significant association (r = .16; 95% CI: 0.09-0.25). A moderator test indicated that the association was stronger for studies reporting on support from the maternal grandmother in particular (r = .23; 95% CI: 0.06-0.29). Our findings suggest that involved grandparents, in particular mother's own mother, constitute a protective factor for the development of maternal postpartum mental health problems. These findings have clear implications for interventions. Future studies should examine whether stimulating high-quality support from grandparents is a fruitful avenue for enhancing maternal postpartum mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon M E Riem
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Cima
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, University of London, London, UK
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Knorr DA, Fox M. An evolutionary perspective on the association between grandmother-mother relationships and maternal mental health among a cohort of pregnant Latina women. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022; 44:30-38. [PMID: 37065817 PMCID: PMC10100916 DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Grandmothers are often critical helpers during a mother's reproductive career. Studies on the developmental origins of health and disease demonstrate how maternal psychological distress can negatively influence fetal development and birth outcomes, highlighting an area in which soon-to-be grandmothers (henceforth "grandmothers") can invest to improve both mother and offspring well-being. Here, we examine if and how a pregnant woman's mental health- specifically, depression, state-anxiety, and pregnancy-related anxiety- is influenced by her relationship with her fetus' maternal and paternal grandmother, controlling for relationship characteristics with her fetus' father. In a cohort of pregnant Latina women in Southern California (N = 216), we assessed social support, geographic proximity, and communication between the fetus' grandmothers and pregnant mother. We assessed maternal mental health with validated questionnaire-based instruments. We find that both social support from and communication with the maternal grandmother were statistically associated with less depression, while no paternal grandmother relationship characteristics were statistically significant in association with any mental health variable. These results align with the idea that maternal grandmothers are more adaptively incentivized to invest in their daughters' well-being during pregnancy than paternal grandmothers are for their daughters-in-law. Results suggest that the positive association of maternal grandmothers with mothers' mental health may not hinge on geographic proximity, but rather, potentially function through emotional support. This work represents a novel perspective describing a psychological and prenatal grandmaternal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delaney A. Knorr
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
- Corresponding author at: 375 Portola Plaza, 341 Haines Hall, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America. (D.A. Knorr)
| | - Molly Fox
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
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9
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Grandpaternal care and child survival in a pastoralist society in western China. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Xiao X, Loke AY. Intergenerational co-parenting in the postpartum period: A concept analysis. Midwifery 2022; 107:103275. [DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Martin M, Keith M, Olmedo S, Edwards D, Barrientes A, Pan A, Valeggia C. Cesarean section and breastfeeding outcomes in an Indigenous Qom community with high breastfeeding support. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 10:36-46. [PMID: 35154778 PMCID: PMC8830290 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Cesarean section may lead to suboptimal breastfeeding outcomes, though evidence has been mixed. Factors, such as premature birth, birth weight and maternal age may independently increase risk of cesarean and hinder breastfeeding initiation, while maternal preferences, support and sociostructural barriers may influence breastfeeding practices beyond the immediate postpartum period. METHODOLOGY We assessed impacts of cesarean section and gestational factors on breastfeeding duration among Indigenous Qom mothers in Argentina who have strong traditional breastfeeding support. We modeled transitions from exclusive breastfeeding to complementary feeding and from complementary feeding to full weaning in a Bayesian time-to-event framework with birth mode and gestational covariates (n = 89 infants). RESULTS Estimated median time to full weaning was 30 months. Cesarean-delivered babies were weaned an average of 5 months later adjusting for gestational age, maternal parity and infant sex. No factors were associated with time-to-complementary feeding, and time-to-complementary feeding was not associated with time-to-full weaning. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Among Indigenous Qom mothers in Argentina, cesarean section was not associated with suboptimal breastfeeding outcomes. Although some Qom mothers do experience early breastfeeding problems, particularly following first birth, problems are not more frequent following cesarean delivery. Traditional postpartum kin and community support during prolonged postpartum periods may be instrumental in helping mothers to overcome early breastfeeding problems due to cesarean or other risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Martin
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA,Corresponding author. Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA. Tel: +1 206-616-7701; E-mail:
| | - Monica Keith
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA
| | - Sofía Olmedo
- Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad (CIECS-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, AV. Valparaiso S/N. Ciudad Universitaria, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Deja Edwards
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA
| | - Alicia Barrientes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA
| | - Anwesha Pan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 314 Denny Hall, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA
| | - Claudia Valeggia
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208277, New Haven, CT 06520-8277, USA
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Sibeko L, Johns T, Cordeiro LS. Traditional plant use during lactation and postpartum recovery: Infant development and maternal health roles. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 279:114377. [PMID: 34192598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Evidence of phytochemical roles in infant development and maternal recovery offers insights into beneficial functions of traditional plant use during lactation and the postpartum period. Ethnopharmacological research has relevance to global priorities on maternal and child health, to understanding origins and determinants of human self-medication, and for reconciling traditional postpartum practices and mainstream healthcare. AIM OF THE STUDY Present emerging evidence, within evolutionary and socio-cultural contexts, on the role of maternal consumption on transfer of phytochemicals into breast milk with impacts on maternal and child health, and on infant development. Establish current state of knowledge and an ethnopharmacological research agenda that is attentive to cross-cultural and regional differences in postpartum plant use. MATERIALS AND METHODS An extensive literature review using Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science focused on traditional and contemporary use and socio-cultural context, as well as physiological, pharmacological, toxicological, and behavioral activities of plants used medicinally by women during postpartum recovery and lactation. RESULTS The most widely reported postpartum plants show antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunological, and neurophysiological activities, with low toxicity. Phytochemicals transfer from maternal consumption into breast milk in physiological concentrations, while animal studies demonstrate immunomodulation and other actions of medicinal plants during lactation. Reporting on the use and diverse traditional knowledge of women about plants during the postpartum period is obscured by the marginal place of obstetric issues and by gender biases in ethnobotanical research. In many contemporary contexts use is prejudiced by precautionary risk warnings in health literature and practice that confound lactation with pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Although systematic investigation of postpartum plant use is lacking, known pharmacological activities support potential benefits on infant development and maternal health with immediate and long-term consequences in relation to allergic, inflammatory, autoimmune, and other diseases. An ethnopharmacological agenda focused on the perinatal period requires directed methodologies and a regional approach in relation to culturally-specific knowledge and practices, traditional plant use, and local health needs. Testing the hypothesis that phytochemicals transferred from medicinal plants into breast milk impact the human immune system and other aspects of infant development requires extended analysis of phytochemicals in human milk and infant lumen and plasma, as well as effects on gastrointestinal and milk microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindiwe Sibeko
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Timothy Johns
- School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada.
| | - Lorraine S Cordeiro
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
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Rethinking the Fertility Transition in Rural Aragón (Spain) Using Height Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18168338. [PMID: 34444085 PMCID: PMC8392277 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Based on an analysis of the life trajectories of 2510 conscripts and their families from a Spanish rural area in the period 1835–1977, this paper studies the development of the fertility transition in relation to height using bivariate analyses. The use of heights is an innovative perspective of delving into the fertility transition and social transformation entailed. The results confirm that the men with a low level of biological well-being (related to low socio-economic groups) were those who started to control their fertility, perhaps due to the effect that increased average family size had on their budget. The children of individuals who controlled their fertility were taller than the children of other families. Therefore, the children of parents who controlled their fertility experienced the largest intergenerational increase in height (approximately 50% higher). This increase could be due to the consequence of a greater investment in children (Becker’s hypothesis) or a greater availability of resources for the whole family (resource dilution hypothesis).
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Aubel J. Grandmothers - a neglected family resource for saving newborn lives. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2020-003808. [PMID: 33589417 PMCID: PMC7887373 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Across the globe, the well-being of newborns is significantly influenced by the knowledge and practices of family members, yet global health policies and interventions primarily focus on strengthening health services to save newborn lives. Predominant approaches to promote newborn survival in non-western cultures across the Global South are based on a western, nuclear family model and ignore the roles of caregivers within wider family systems, whose attitudes and practices are determined by culturally prescribed strategies. In this paper, I review evidence of a neglected facet of newborn care, the role and influence of senior women or grandmothers. Based on a family systems frame, I reviewed research from numerous settings in Africa, Asia and Latin America that provides insight into family roles related to newborn care, specifically of grandmothers. I identified primarily published studies which provide evidence of grandmothers’ role as culturally designated and influential newborn advisors to young mothers and direct caregivers. Research from all three continents reveals that grandmothers play similar core roles in newborn care while their culturally specific practices vary. This review supports two main conclusions. First, future newborn research should be conceptualised within a family systems framework that reflects the structure and dynamics of non-western collectivist cultures. Second, newborn interventions should aim not only to strengthen health services but also influential family caregivers, particularly grandmothers and the indigenous social support networks of which they are a part, in order to improve family-level newborn practices and save newborn lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judi Aubel
- Grandmother Project - Change through Culture, Rome, Lazzio, Italy .,Grandmother Project - Change through Culture, Mbour, Senegal
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15
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Page AE, Emmott EH, Dyble M, Smith D, Chaudhary N, Viguier S, Migliano AB. Children are important too: juvenile playgroups and maternal childcare in a foraging population, the Agta. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200026. [PMID: 33938270 PMCID: PMC8090817 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-maternal carers (allomothers) are hypothesized to lighten the mother's workload, allowing for the specialized human life history including relatively short interbirth intervals and multiple dependent offspring. Here, using in-depth observational data on childcare provided to 78 Agta children (a foraging population in the northern Philippines; aged 0-6 years), we explore whether allomaternal childcare substitutes and decreases maternal childcare. We found that allomother caregiving was associated with reduced maternal childcare, but the substitutive effect varied depending on the source and type of care. Children-only playgroups consistently predicted a decrease in maternal childcare. While grandmothers were rarely available, their presence was negatively associated with maternal presence and childcare, and grandmothers performed similar childcare activities to mothers. These results underscore the importance of allomothering in reducing maternal childcare in the Agta. Our findings suggest that flexibility in childcare sources, including children-only playgroups, may have been the key to human life-history evolution. Overall, our results reinforce the necessity of a broad conceptualization of social support in human childcare. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E. Page
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Emily H. Emmott
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Dyble
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dan Smith
- Bristol Medical School (PHS), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nikhil Chaudhary
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sylvain Viguier
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
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Vázquez-Vázquez A, Fewtrell MS, Chan-García H, Batún-Marrufo C, Dickinson F, Wells JC. Does maternal grandmother's support improve maternal and child nutritional health outcomes? Evidence from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200035. [PMID: 33938284 PMCID: PMC8090818 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, high levels of investment are required to raise offspring, because of the prolonged developmental period and short interbirth intervals. The costs borne by individual mothers may be mitigated by obtaining social support from others. This strategy could be particularly valuable for first-time mothers, who lack first-hand experience and whose offspring have higher mortality risk than later-born siblings. As raising children is potentially stressful, mothers may gain from others sharing their experience, providing knowledge/information and emotional support. Being genetically related to both mother and grandchild, maternal grandmothers may be especially well placed to provide such support, while also gaining fitness benefits. We tested the over-arching hypothesis that first-time mothers and their young children supported by the maternal grandmother would have lower levels of stress and better health outcomes, compared to mother-infant dyads lacking such grandmaternal support. A cohort of 90 mother-infant dyads (52 with grandmaternal support, 38 without) was recruited in Merida, Mexico. We assessed anthropometry and body composition in both mother and child, along with maternally perceived stress and child temperament, and documented maternal social relationships. No differences were found in perceived stress/temperament or anthropometry of either mothers or children, according to the presence/absence of grandmaternal support. However, a composite score of whether grandmothers provided advice on infant feeding was positively associated with child nutritional status. Mothers without grandmaternal support reported seeking more informational and emotional support from other female relatives for childcare, potentially compensating for limited/absent grandmaternal support. Our findings may help develop interventions to improve maternal and child health by targeting the dynamics of maternal social networks. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Vázquez-Vázquez
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mary S. Fewtrell
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Hidekel Chan-García
- Human Ecology Department, Centre for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Carolina Batún-Marrufo
- Human Ecology Department, Centre for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Federico Dickinson
- Human Ecology Department, Centre for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Jonathan C. Wells
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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Myers S, Page AE, Emmott EH. The differential role of practical and emotional support in infant feeding experience in the UK. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200034. [PMID: 33938282 PMCID: PMC8090825 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Social support is a known determinant of breastfeeding behaviour and is generally considered beneficial. However, social support encompasses a myriad of different supportive acts, providing scope for diverse infant feeding outcomes. Given the vulnerability of postpartum mental health, this paper aims to explore both how support prolongs breastfeeding and which forms of support promote the positive experience of all infant feeding. Using survey data collected online from 515 UK mothers with infants aged 0-108 weeks, Cox regression models assessed the relationship between receiving different types of support, support need and breastfeeding duration. Quasi-binomial logistic regression models assessed the relationship between receiving support, infant feeding mode and maternal experience of infant feeding. Rates of negative infant feeding experience indicate the widespread need for support: e.g. 38% of currently, 47% of no longer and 31% of never breastfeeding women found infant feeding stressful. Overall, practical support via infant feeding broadly predicted shorter breastfeeding durations and poorer feeding experience; results in relation to other forms of support were more complex. Our findings indicate different forms of support have different associations with infant feeding experience. They also highlight the wide range of individuals beyond the nuclear family on which postpartum mothers in the UK rely. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Myers
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UK
- BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A. E. Page
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - E. H. Emmott
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UK
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18
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Page AE, Emmott EH, Myers S. Testing the buffering hypothesis: Breastfeeding problems, cessation, and social support in the UK. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 34:e23621. [PMID: 34056792 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Physical breastfeeding problems can lead women to terminate breastfeeding earlier than planned. In high-income countries such as the UK, breastfeeding problems have been attributed to the cultural and individual "inexperience" of breastfeeding, ultimately leading to lower breastfeeding rates. Yet, cross-cultural evidence suggests breastfeeding problems still occur in contexts where breastfeeding is common, prolonged, and seen publicly. This suggests breastfeeding problems are not unusual and do not necessarily lead to breastfeeding cessation. As humans evolved to raise children cooperatively, what matters for breastfeeding continuation may be the availability of social support during the postnatal period. Here, we test the hypothesis that social support buffers mothers from the negative impact breastfeeding problems have on duration. METHODS We run Cox models on a sample of 565 UK mothers who completed a retrospective online survey about infant feeding and social support in 2017-2018. RESULTS Breastfeeding problems were important predictors of cessation; however, the direction of the effect was dependent on the problem type and type of support from a range of supporters. Helpful support for discomfort issues (blocked ducts, too much milk) was significantly associated with reduced hazards of cessation, as predicted. However, helpful support for reported milk insufficiency was assoicated with an increased hazard of cessation. CONCLUSIONS Experiencing breastfeeding problems is the norm, but its impact may be mitigated via social support. Working from an interdisciplinary approach, our results highlight that a wide range of supporters who provide different types of support have potential to influence maternal breastfeeding experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Page
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily H Emmott
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Myers
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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19
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Willführ KP, Eriksson B, Dribe M. The impact of kin proximity on net marital fertility and maternal survival in Sweden 1900-1910-Evidence for cooperative breeding in a societal context of nuclear families, or just contextual correlations? Am J Hum Biol 2021; 34:e23609. [PMID: 34047409 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigate the association between the geographic proximity of the grandparents on net marital fertility and maternal survival in Sweden, 1900-1910, within the framework of the cooperative-breeding-hypothesis. METHODS Data were derived from Swedish full-count censuses (1880-1910) and the Swedish Death Index. Married couples were linked to their parental households. Poisson and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between the geographical proximity of the grandparents on net marital fertility, which we measured as the number of surviving children born between 1900 and 1910, and the mother's survival. Models were fitted with and without fixed effects to assess the effects of unobserved characteristics shared at the parish and the family level. RESULTS The results indicate that net fertility and maternal survival increased with the husband's parents' geographic proximity. In contrast, we found no evidence that the geographic proximity of the wife's parents was associated with increased fertility or maternal survival. Rather, the presence of the mother's parents in the household lowered net fertility and reduced maternal survival. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that kin proximity was associated with fertility and mortality of married women, and that the associations differed for paternal and maternal kin in the societal context of Swedish nuclear families (1900-1910). However, the patterns of kin proximity that we identified were correlated with characteristics such as socioeconomic status, occupation, and wealth, which also exhibited strong correlations with fertility and survival. Future research assessing the effects of kinship on demographic developments must therefore carefully consider the socio-environmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai P Willführ
- Institute for Social Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany.,Centre for Economic Demography and Department of Economic History, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Eriksson
- Centre for Economic Demography and Department of Economic History, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Dribe
- Centre for Economic Demography and Department of Economic History, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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20
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Myers S, Emmott EH. Communication Across Maternal Social Networks During England's First National Lockdown and Its Association With Postnatal Depressive Symptoms. Front Psychol 2021; 12:648002. [PMID: 34045995 PMCID: PMC8144711 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Postnatal/postpartum depression (PND/PPD) had a pre-COVID-19 estimated prevalence ranging up to 23% in Europe, 33% in Australia, and 64% in America, and is detrimental to both mothers and their infants. Low social support is a key risk factor for developing PND. From an evolutionary perspective this is perhaps unsurprising, as humans evolved as cooperative childrearers, inherently reliant on social support to raise children. The coronavirus pandemic has created a situation in which support from social networks beyond the nuclear family is likely to be even more important to new mothers, as it poses risks and stresses for mothers to contend with; whilst at the same time, social distancing measures designed to limit transmission create unprecedented alterations to their access to such support. Using data from 162 mothers living in London with infants aged ≤6 months, we explore how communication with members of a mother's social network related to her experience of postnatal depressive symptoms during the first "lockdown" in England. Levels of depressive symptoms, as assessed via the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, were high, with 47.5% of the participants meeting a ≥11 cut-off for PND. Quasi-Poisson regression modelling found that the number of network members seen in-person, and remote communication with a higher proportion of those not seen, was negatively associated with depressive symptoms; however, contact with a higher proportion of relatives was positively associated with symptoms, suggesting kin risked seeing mothers in need. Thematic qualitative analysis of open text responses found that mothers experienced a burden of constant mothering, inadequacy of virtual contact, and sadness and worries about lost social opportunities, while support from partners facilitated family bonding. While Western childrearing norms focus on intensive parenting, and fathers are key caregivers, our results highlight that it still "takes a village" to raise children in high-income populations and mothers are struggling in its absence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Myers
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emily H. Emmott
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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21
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Sibeko L, Johns T. Global survey of medicinal plants during lactation and postpartum recovery: Evolutionary perspectives and contemporary health implications. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 270:113812. [PMID: 33450288 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.113812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Cross-cultural comparison of plants used during lactation and the postpartum period offers insight into a largely overlooked area of ethnopharmacological research. Potential roles of phytochemicals in emerging models of interaction among immunity, inflammation, microbiome and nervous system effects on perinatal development have relevance for the life-long health of individuals and of populations in both traditional and contemporary contexts. AIM OF THE STUDY Delineate and interpret patterns of traditional and contemporary global use of medicinal plants ingested by mothers during the postpartum period relative to phytochemical activity on immune development and gastrointestinal microbiome of breastfed infants, and on maternal health. MATERIALS AND METHODS Published reviews and surveys on galactagogues and postpartum recovery practices plus ethnobotanical studies from around the world were used to identify and rank plants, and ascertain regional use patterns. Scientific literature for 20 most-cited plants based on frequency of publication was assessed for antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antidepressant, analgesic, galactagogic and safety properties. RESULTS From compilation of 4418 use reports related to 1948 species, 105 plant taxa were recorded ≥7 times, with the most frequently cited species, Foeniculum vulgare, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Pimpinella anisum, Euphorbia hirta and Asparagus racemosus, 81, 64, 42, 40 and 38 times, respectively. Species and use vary globally, illustrated by the pattern of aromatic plants of culinary importance versus latex-producing plants utilized in North Africa/Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa with opposing predominance. For 18/20 of the plants a risk/benefit perspective supports assessment that positive immunomodulation and related potential exceed any safety concerns. Published evidence does not support a lactation-enhancing effect for nearly all the most-cited plants while antidepressant data for the majority of plants are predominately limited to animal studies. CONCLUSIONS Within a biocultural context traditional postpartum plant use serves adaptive functions for the mother-infant dyad and contributes phytochemicals absent in most contemporary diets and patterns of ingestion, with potential impacts on allergic, inflammatory and other conditions. Polyphenolics and other phytochemicals are widely immunologically active, present in breast milk and predominately non-toxic. Systematic analysis of phytochemicals in human milk, infant lumen and plasma, and immunomodulatory studies that differentiate maternal ingestion during lactation from pregnancy, are needed. Potential herb-drug interaction and other adverse effects should remain central to obstetric advising, but unless a plant is specifically shown as harmful, considering potential contributions to health of individuals and populations, blanket advisories against postpartum herbal use during lactation appear empirically unwarranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindiwe Sibeko
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Timothy Johns
- School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada.
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22
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Gunst A, Sundén M, Korja R, Boddy AM, Kotler J, Paavonen EJ, Uusitupa HM, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Antfolk J. Postpartum depression and mother-offspring conflict over maternal investment. Evol Med Public Health 2021; 9:11-23. [PMID: 33664956 PMCID: PMC7910802 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES As the mother-offspring relationship is central to human reproduction, postpartum depression symptoms are difficult to explain in evolutionary terms. We proposed that postpartum depression might arise as a result of evolutionary mother-offspring conflict over maternal investment, and investigated the association between postpartum depression symptoms, infant night waking, maternal sleep disturbance and breastfeeding frequency. METHODOLOGY We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using survey responses at 6 months postpartum from 1598 Finnish mothers. We hypothesized that infant night waking at 6 months postpartum would be associated with postpartum depression symptoms, and that this association would be mediated by maternal sleep disturbance and a higher breastfeeding frequency. RESULTS Infant night waking was moderately associated with postpartum depression symptoms, and this association was mediated by maternal sleep disturbance (R 2=0.09). Contrary to our prediction, we found that increased breastfeeding was associated with less postpartum depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We conclude that postpartum depression symptoms might partly be the result of increased maternal fatigue stemming from high offspring demands on maternal investment, but that this is not due to the metabolic strain from increased breastfeeding. Studying postpartum depression from the mother-offspring conflict perspective can potentially improve our understanding of the involved behavioral processes of both mother and offspring, and allow interventions designed to benefit the well-being of both parties. Lay Summary: We proposed that postpartum depression is due to an evolutionary conflict between mother and infant, where the infant tires the mother to delay the arrival of a sibling. We found a link between infant night waking and postpartum depression, mediated by the mother's sleep, but not by breastfeeding frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Gunst
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
| | - My Sundén
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Amy M Boddy
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 3210, USA
| | - Jennifer Kotler
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - E Juulia Paavonen
- Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, Turku 20520, Finland
| | - Henna-Maria Uusitupa
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
- Pediatric Research Center, Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Jan Antfolk
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
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Aidam BA, MacDonald CA, Wee R, Simba J, Aubel J, Reinsma KR, Girard AW. An Innovative Grandmother-Inclusive Approach for Addressing Suboptimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Sierra Leone. Curr Dev Nutr 2020; 4:nzaa174. [PMID: 33409444 PMCID: PMC7773705 DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suboptimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices contribute to child undernutrition. Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey data show that IYCF practices remain poor despite modest improvements. Recent studies have identified the role of grandmothers as critical to child nutrition; however, in Sierra Leone to date, the potential for grandmothers to influence IYCF practices has not been investigated. OBJECTIVES We examined how an innovative grandmother-inclusive approach (GMIA) can be used to address suboptimal IYCF practices. METHODS Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared IYCF beliefs and practices between GMIA intervention communities (receiving monthly dialogue sessions on nutrition, quarterly community praise sessions, and intergenerational forums) and comparison communities (receiving standard nutrition education) in Bum chiefdom from 2013 and 2016. The quantitative endline survey targeted 101 pregnant women, 291 women with children aged <2 y, and 219 grandmothers. Statistical analyses utilized t tests and χ2 tests to examine differences between intervention and comparison communities at endline. Multivariate regression was used to determine the intervention's effect on IYCF outcomes of interest. RESULTS Awareness of and participation in the GMIA was high among mothers and grandmothers in intervention communities. The percentage of infants and young children aged 0-23 mo (n = 291) exclusively breastfed during the first week of life was significantly higher in the intervention group (90.2% compared with 79.4%, P = 0.01). Among infants aged 6-23 mo (n = 219), the percentage achieving minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet was significantly higher in the intervention group (77.2% compared with 51.8%, P < 0.001; and 53.8% compared with 22.6%, P < 0.001, respectively). Differences in percentages achieving minimum meal frequency (MMF) were only significant for infants aged 9-23 mo, with the intervention group achieving a higher MMF (54.6% compared with 36.9%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that a GMIA that recognizes grandmothers' roles and strengthens their knowledge can contribute to improved IYCF practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget A Aidam
- Action Against Hunger USA. Previously of Evidence and Learning Unit, World Vision International, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Carolyn A MacDonald
- World Vision International, Nutrition Centre of Expertise, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rebecca Wee
- Hubert Department of Global Health and Nutrition, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joseph Simba
- World Vision Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Judi Aubel
- Grandmother Project: Change through Culture, Rome, Italy
| | - Kathryn R Reinsma
- World Vision International, Nutrition Centre of Expertise, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amy Webb Girard
- Hubert Department of Global Health and Nutrition, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Andina-Díaz E, Siles-González J. Cultural Care of Pregnancy and Home Birth: An Application of the Sunrise Model. Res Theory Nurs Pract 2020; 34:358-370. [PMID: 33199408 DOI: 10.1891/rtnp-d-19-00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The role of older women close to the pregnant woman may be relevant when conveying information. The use of theories/models can guide the development of nursing practice. PURPOSE To explore beliefs and practices related to pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of older women who gave birth at home, applying Leininger's Sunrise Model. METHODS Qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with 24 older women who gave birth at home (rural area, Spain). Manual content analysis of the data was used, and Sunrise Model guided to explore the role of culture and the factors affecting maternity care. RESULTS Two main categories emerged: beliefs/practices related to physiological aspects (subcategories: minimal intervention, hygiene, pain control, rest, feeding) and to psychosocial aspects (subcategories: spiritual well-being, company). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The experiences of older women who gave birth at home helped us to understand some beliefs that survive in some pregnant women, similar in different cultures, and divided into physiological and psychosocial aspects. Older women have a relevant role as transmitters of information, and can provide some keys to plan health interventions, as companions or counselors. Applying the Sunrise Model, we verified the weight that culture has in maternal health care, and the multiple factors that interfere with the way of caring. The application of models helps us to improve nursing practice: not only should we focus on knowing the physical aspects, but also the social and cultural circumstances surrounding the pregnant woman.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Andina-Díaz
- Faculty of Health Science, Nursing and Physiotherapy Department, University of León, León, Spain .,Nursing and Culture of Care Research Group, University of Alicante, Spain .,SALBIS Research Group, University of León, Spain
| | - José Siles-González
- Faculty of Health Science, Nursing Department, University of Alicante, Spain.,Nursing and Culture of Care Research Group, University of Alicante, Spain
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25
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Hagen RV, Scelza BA. Adoption of outgroup norms provides evidence for social transmission in perinatal care practices among rural Namibian women. EVOLUTION MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 2020:161-173. [PMID: 33072326 PMCID: PMC7547623 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Background and objectives How do new ideas spread in social groups? We apply the framework of cultural evolution theory to examine what drives change in perinatal care norms among Himba women in the Kunene region of Namibia. Access to formal medical care is on the rise in this region, and medical workers regularly visit communities to promote WHO-recommended perinatal care practices. This study investigates how various forms of social transmission affect women's uptake of medical recommendations concerning perinatal care. Methodology Based on interviews with one hundred Himba mothers, we used Bayesian multi-level logistical regression models to examine how perceptions of group preferences, prestige ascribed to outgroup conformers, interaction with the outgroup and access to resources affect norm adoption. Results Women who perceive medical recommendations as common in their group prefer, plan and practice these recommendations more often themselves. We observed a shift toward medical recommendations regarding birth location and contraception use that was in line with conformity bias predictions. Practices that serve as cultural identity markers persist in the population. Conclusions and implications Norm changes, and the cultural evolutionary processes that can lead to them, are not uniform, either in process or pace. Empirical studies like this one provide important examples of how these changes reflect local culture and circumstance and are critical for better understanding the models that currently predominate in cultural evolution work. These cases can also help bridge the gap between evolutionary anthropology and public health by demonstrating where promotion and prevention campaigns might be most effective. Lay Summary The recent promotion of WHO-recommended perinatal care practices in Namibia provides an opportunity to empirically study norm change using a cultural evolution framework. We found women adopt medical recommendations when they believe these are common in their social group. Local norms that were not discouraged persisted in the study group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée V Hagen
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Anthropology, UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brooke A Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Anthropology, UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
The rapidly decreasing costs of generating genetic data sequencing and the ease of new DNA collection technologies have opened up new opportunities for anthropologists to conduct field-based genetic studies. An exciting aspect of this work comes from linking genetic data with the kinds of individual-level traits evolutionary anthropologists often rely on, such as those collected in long-term demographic and ethnographic studies. However, combining these two types of data raises a host of ethical questions related to the collection, analysis and reporting of such data. Here we address this conundrum by examining one particular case, the collection and analysis of paternity data. We are particularly interested in the logistics and ethics involved in genetic paternity testing in the localized settings where anthropologists often work. We discuss the particular issues related to paternity testing in these settings, including consent and disclosure, consideration of local identity and beliefs and developing a process of continued community engagement. We then present a case study of our own research in Namibia, where we developed a multi-tiered strategy for consent and community engagement, built around a double-blind procedure for data collection, analysis and reporting. Paternity testing in anthropology raises ethical and methodological issues. We summarize these and describe a novel double-blind method used in our work.
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