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Koenig MD, Crooks N, Burton T, Li Y, Hemphill NO, Erbe K, Rutherford JN, Liese KL, Pearson P, Stewart K, Kessee N, Gondwe KW, Reed L, Tussing-Humphreys L. Structural Violence and Stress Experiences of Young Pregnant Black People. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:1918-1932. [PMID: 37306921 PMCID: PMC10713865 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01661-y] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Approximately 10-20% of individuals suffer from mental health concerns during the prenatal period due to their vulnerability and emotional responses to stressful events. Mental health disorders are more likely to be disabling and persistent for people of color, and they are less likely to seek treatment due to stigma. Young pregnant Black people report experiencing stress due to isolation, feelings of conflict, lack of material and emotional resources, and support from significant others. Although many studies have reported the types of stressors experienced, personal resources, emotional stress responses on pregnancy, and mental health outcomes, there is limited data on young Black women's perceptions of these factors. METHODS This study utilizes the Health Disparities Research Framework to conceptualize drivers of stress related to maternal health outcomes for young Black women. We conducted a thematic analysis to identify stressors for young Black women. RESULTS Findings revealed the following overarching themes: Societal stress of being young, Black, and pregnant; Community level systems that perpetuate stress and structural violence; Interpersonal level stressors; Individual level effects of stress on mom and baby; and Coping with stress. DISCUSSION Acknowledging and naming structural violence and addressing structures that create and fuel stress for young pregnant Black people are important first steps to interrogating systems that allow for nuanced power dynamics and for recognizing the full humanity of young pregnant Black people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Dawn Koenig
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Natasha Crooks
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Tristesse Burton
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, MC 886, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Yanqiao Li
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | | | - Katherine Erbe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois Chicago, 820 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Julienne N Rutherford
- Biobehavioral Health Science Division, University of Arizona, PO Box 210203, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Kylea L Liese
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Pamela Pearson
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, University of Illinois Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave., MC 802, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Karie Stewart
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois Chicago, 820 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Nicollette Kessee
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, 1919 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL, 60608, USA
| | - Kaboni W Gondwe
- Deptartment of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, University of Washington, Box 357262, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | - Lisa Tussing-Humphreys
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, 1919 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL, 60608, USA
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Nazzari S, Pili MP, Günay Y, Provenzi L. Pandemic babies: A systematic review of the association between maternal pandemic-related stress during pregnancy and infant development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105723. [PMID: 38762129 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, with its far-reaching influence on daily life, constituted a highly stressful experience for many people worldwide, jeopardizing individuals' mental health, particularly in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. While a growing body of evidence links prenatal maternal stress to biological and developmental alterations in offspring, the specific impact of prenatal exposure to maternal pandemic-related stress (PRS) on infant development remains unclear. A comprehensive literature search was performed in October 2023 according to the PRISMA guidelines, which yielded a total of 28 records. The selected papers investigated a vast range of developmental and biological outcomes in the offspring with large methodological variations. The reviewed studies showed mixed results. Either direct associations between maternal PRS during pregnancy and infant temperament and socio-emotional development, or indirect links, mediated by maternal mental health, emerged in most studies. Furthermore, maternal PRS was associated with epigenetic and brain alterations in the offspring, although studies were limited in number. Collectively, the reviewed findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of early adverse exposures on infant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Miriam Paola Pili
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Yaren Günay
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Li X, Xiong R. Association between frailty and gestational diabetes mellitus: a bidirectional and multivariable Mendelian randomization study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1382516. [PMID: 38994009 PMCID: PMC11236542 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1382516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The causality between frailty and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not yet been fully explored. A potential bidirectional causality was also needed to be confirmed. Methods A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was conducted, with frailty-related data was collected from UK Biobank and TwinGen and GDM-related data was collected from the FinnGen consortium. We performed univariable and multivariable-adjusted MR with adjustments for body mass index (BMI). Several methodologies of MR were conducted to confirm the robustness of results. Results Frailty was significantly associated with elevated risks of GDM (OR, 3.563; 95% CI, 1.737 to 7.309; P< 0.001) and GDM was also significantly associated with elevated risks of frailty ( β , 0.087; 95% CI, 0.040 to 0.133; P< 0.001). There is no evidence demonstrating the existence of horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity. This association was robust after adjustments for BMI. The sensitivity analyses with Weighted median, Maximum likelihood, Penalised weighted median, MR Egger and MR PRESSO methods indicated consistent results. Conclusion Our study provides evidence of the bidirectional causal association between frailty and GDM from genetic perspectives, signaling that the identification and assessment of frailty should become a standard strategy during the early stages and care of gestational diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mianyang Central Hospital, Mianyang, Sichuan, China
| | - Rui Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chengdu Xinhua Hospital Affiliated To North Sichuan Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Ren T, Zhang L, Liu Y, Zhang Q, Sun Y, Zhou W, Huang L, Wang M, Pu Y, Huang R, Chen J, He H, Zhu T, Wang S, Chen W, Zhang Q, Du W, Luo Q, Li F. Sex-specific associations of adolescent motherhood with cognitive function, behavioral problems, and autistic-like traits in offspring and the mediating roles of family conflict and altered brain structure. BMC Med 2024; 22:226. [PMID: 38840198 PMCID: PMC11155128 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03442-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have linked adolescent motherhood to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, yet the sex-specific effect and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS This study included 6952 children aged 9-11 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. The exposed group consisted of children of mothers < 20 years at the time of birth, while the unexposed group was composed of children of mothers aged 20-35 at birth. We employed a generalized linear mixed model to investigate the associations of adolescent motherhood with cognitive, behavioral, and autistic-like traits in offspring. We applied an inverse-probability-weighted marginal structural model to examine the potential mediating factors including adverse perinatal outcomes, family conflict, and brain structure alterations. RESULTS Our results revealed that children of adolescent mothers had significantly lower cognitive scores (β, - 2.11, 95% CI, - 2.90 to - 1.31), increased externalizing problems in male offspring (mean ratio, 1.28, 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.52), and elevated internalizing problems (mean ratio, 1.14, 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.33) and autistic-like traits (mean ratio, 1.22, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.47) in female. A stressful family environment mediated ~ 70% of the association with internalizing problems in females, ~ 30% with autistic-like traits in females, and ~ 20% with externalizing problems in males. Despite observable brain morphometric changes related to adolescent motherhood, these did not act as mediating factors in our analysis, after adjusting for family environment. No elevated rate of adverse perinatal outcomes was observed in the offspring of adolescent mothers in this study. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal distinct sex-specific neurodevelopmental outcomes impacts of being born to adolescent mothers, with a substantial mediating effect of family environment on behavioral outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of developing sex-tailored interventions and support the hypothesis that family environment significantly impacts the neurodevelopmental consequences of adolescent motherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai Ren
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Lingli Zhang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qingli Zhang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yunjun Sun
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Like Huang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yiwei Pu
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Runqi Huang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jingyu Chen
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Hua He
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Tailin Zhu
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Susu Wang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Weiran Chen
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qianlong Zhang
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Wenchong Du
- NTU Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK.
| | - Qiang Luo
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Ministry of Education-Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Fei Li
- Ministry of Education - Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health & Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Ryan N, Leahy-Warren P, Mulcahy H, O'Mahony S, Philpott L. The impact of perinatal maternal stress on the maternal and infant gut and human milk microbiomes: A scoping review protocol. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304787. [PMID: 38837966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this scoping review is to review the research evidence regarding the impact of perinatal maternal stress on the maternal and infant gut and human milk microbiomes. INTRODUCTION Perinatal stress which refers to psychological stress experienced by individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period is emerging as a public health concern. Early exposure of infants to perinatal maternal stress can potentially lead to metabolic, immune, and neurobehavioral disorders that extend into adulthood. The role of the gut and human milk microbiome in the microbiome-gut-brain axis as a mechanism of stress transfer has been previously reported. A transfer of colonised aberrant microbiota from mother to infant is proposed to predispose the infant to a pro- inflammatory microbiome with dysregulated metabolic process thereby initiating early risk of chronic diseases. The interplay of perinatal maternal stress and its relationship to the maternal and infant gut and human milk microbiome requires further systematic examination in the literature. INCLUSION CRITERIA This scoping review is an exploratory mapping review which will focus on the population of mothers and infants with the exploration of the key concepts of maternal stress and its impact on the maternal and infant gut and human milk microbiome in the context of the perinatal period. It will focus on the pregnancy and the post-natal period up to 6 months with infants who are exclusively breastfed. METHODS This study will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews along with use of the Prisma Scr reporting guideline. A comprehensive search will be conducted using the following databases, CINAHL Complete; MEDLINE; PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus. A search strategy with pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used to retrieve peer reviewed data published in English from 2014 to present. Screening will involve a three-step process with screening tool checklists. Results will be presented in tabular and narrative summaries, covering thematic concepts and their relationships. This protocol is registered with Open Science Framework DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/5SRMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh Ryan
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Helen Mulcahy
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
| | - Siobhain O'Mahony
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Lloyd Philpott
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
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Boyer TM, Vaught AJ, Gemmill A. Variation and correlates of psychosocial wellbeing among nulliparous women with preeclampsia. Pregnancy Hypertens 2024; 36:101121. [PMID: 38552368 PMCID: PMC11162915 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2024.101121] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify classes of psychosocial stressors among women who developed preeclampsia and to evaluate the associations between these classes and correlates of psychosocial wellbeing. STUDY DESIGN We performed a secondary analysis of women who developed preeclampsia (n = 727) from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be (nuMoM2b) cohort (2010-2013). Latent class analysis was used to identify classes of social stressors based on seven psychological and sociocultural indicators. Associations between latent classes and correlates (demographics, health behavior, and health-systems level) were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Classes of psychosocial wellbeing. RESULTS Among women who developed preeclampsia, three classes reflective of psychosocial wellbeing were identified: Class 1: Intermediate Psychosocial Wellbeing (53 %), Class 2: Positive Psychosocial Wellbeing (31 %), Class 3: Negative Psychosocial Wellbeing (16 %). Women in the Negative Psychosocial Wellbeing Class were more likely to have poor sleep and a sedentary lifestyle compared with the Positive and Intermediate Psychosocial Wellbeing Classes. Both the Negative and Intermediate Psychosocial Wellbeing Classes reported concern about their quality of medical care compared with the Positive Psychosocial Wellbeing Class (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 6.19, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 3.37, 11.36 and aOR: 2.19, 95 % CI: 1.31, 3.65, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Women who develop preeclampsia are heterogenous and experience different intensities of internal and external stressors. Understanding the linkages between psychosocial wellbeing during pregnancy and modifiable behavioral and structural factors may inform future tailored management strategies for preeclampsia and the optimization of maternal postpartum health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arthur J Vaught
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alison Gemmill
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Monk C. Editorial: In Utero Exposure to Maternal Affective Symptoms: Prenatal Programming of Child Psychopathology Is Independent of Shared Genes of Risk. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 63:583-585. [PMID: 38159904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The womb is an influential first home. This felicitous phrase is attributed to David Barker, often called the father of the late 20th century developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis, which asserts that maternal experiences during pregnancy are biologically transmitted to, and embedded in, the fetus, shaping child development.1 Specifically, Barker focused on maternal inadequate nutrition as a key in utero exposure to which the fetus biologically adapts, leading to biologically programmed changes, meaning long-lasting, that potentially put the offspring at risk for future metabolic diseases.1 In more recent developmental origins of health and disease publications, the impact of affective symptoms in pregnant women-defined broadly to include perceived stress, depression, and anxiety-on fetal and infant brain and behavior development has been identified. There is a third pathway for the familial inheritance of risk for psychiatric illness beyond shared genes and compromised parental postnatal mental health and caregiving: prenatal programming of risk for psychopathology originating in mental health symptoms of mothers.1 However, despite decades of experimental preclinical studies demonstrating maternal prenatal stress predicting altered offspring outcomes,2 the alternative interpretation-that shared genes of risk account for the outcomes-has remained challenging to disprove for human studies, perhaps particularly when the mother reports on her own and her child's mental health (a common study design further addressed below). In this context, the article by Chen et al.3 using polygenic risk scores to provide a single measure of genomic risk for complex phenotypes reports rigorous and original results demonstrating effects of maternal affective symptoms on child psychiatric outcomes while controlling for genomic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Monk
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York.
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Dermitzakis I, Theotokis P, Axarloglou E, Delilampou E, Miliaras D, Meditskou S, Manthou ME. The Impact of Lifestyle on the Secondary Sex Ratio: A Review. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:662. [PMID: 38929646 PMCID: PMC11205111 DOI: 10.3390/life14060662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The secondary sex ratio (SSR), indicating the ratio of male to female live births, has garnered considerable attention within the realms of reproductive biology and public health. Numerous factors have been posited as potential trendsetters of the SSR. Given the extensive research on the impact of daily behaviors and habits on individuals' reproductive health, there is a plausible suggestion that lifestyle choices may also influence the SSR. By synthesizing the existing literature on the current research field, this comprehensive review indicates that an elevated SSR has been associated with an increased intake of fatty acids and monosaccharides, proper nutrition, higher educational levels, financial prosperity, and favorable housing conditions. On the other hand, a decreased SSR may be linked to undernutrition, socioeconomic disparities, and psychological distress, aligning with the Trivers-Willard hypothesis. Occupational factors, smoking habits, and cultural beliefs could also contribute to trends in the SSR. Our review underscores the significance of considering the aforementioned factors in studies examining the SSR and emphasizes the necessity for further research to unravel the mechanisms underpinning these connections. A more profound comprehension of SSR alterations due to lifestyle holds the potential to adequately develop public health interventions and healthcare strategies to enhance reproductive health and overall well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Eleni Manthou
- Department of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.D.); (P.T.); (E.A.); (E.D.); (D.M.); (S.M.)
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Gennaro S, Melnyk BM, Szalacha LA, Gibeau AM, Hoying J, O'Connor CM, Cooper AR, Aviles MM. Effects of Two Group Prenatal Care Interventions on Mental Health: An RCT. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:797-808. [PMID: 38323949 PMCID: PMC11197933 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2024.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perinatal depression and anxiety cost the U.S. health system $102 million annually and result in adverse health outcomes. Research supports that cognitive behavioral therapy improves these conditions, but barriers to obtaining cognitive behavioral therapy have prevented its success in pregnant individuals. In this study, the impact of a cognitive behavioral therapy-based intervention on anxiety, depression, stress, healthy lifestyle beliefs, and behaviors in pregnant people was examined. STUDY DESIGN This study used a 2-arm RCT design, embedded in group prenatal care, with one arm receiving a cognitive behavioral therapy-based Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment program and the other receiving health promotion content. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Black and Hispanic participants (n=299) receiving prenatal care from 2018 to 2022 in New York and Ohio who screened high on 1 of 3 mental health measures were eligible to participate. INTERVENTION Participants were randomized into the manualized Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment cognitive behavioral therapy-based program, with cognitive behavioral skill-building activities delivered by advanced practice nurses in the obstetrical setting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes included anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms using valid and reliable tools (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale). The Healthy Lifestyle Beliefs and Behaviors Scales examined beliefs about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reported healthy behaviors. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences between groups in anxiety, depression, stress, healthy beliefs, and behaviors. There were significant improvements in all measures over time. There were statistically significant decreases in anxiety, depression, and stress from baseline to intervention end, whereas healthy beliefs and behaviors significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS Both cognitive behavioral therapy and health promotion content embedded in group prenatal care with advanced practice nurse delivery improved mental health and healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors at a time when perinatal mood generally worsens. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov NCT03416010.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Gennaro
- William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
| | | | - Laura A Szalacha
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | | | | | - Caitlin M O'Connor
- William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
| | - Andrea R Cooper
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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Zazara DE, Giannou O, Schepanski S, Pagenkemper M, Giannou AD, Pincus M, Belios I, Bonn S, Muntau AC, Hecher K, Diemert A, Arck PC. Fetal lung growth predicts the risk for early-life respiratory infections and childhood asthma. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:481-495. [PMID: 38261172 PMCID: PMC11136800 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00782-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life respiratory infections and asthma are major health burdens during childhood. Markers predicting an increased risk for early-life respiratory diseases are sparse. Here, we identified the predictive value of ultrasound-monitored fetal lung growth for the risk of early-life respiratory infections and asthma. METHODS Fetal lung size was serially assessed at standardized time points by transabdominal ultrasound in pregnant women participating in a pregnancy cohort. Correlations between fetal lung growth and respiratory infections in infancy or early-onset asthma at five years were examined. Machine-learning models relying on extreme gradient boosting regressor or classifier algorithms were developed to predict respiratory infection or asthma risk based on fetal lung growth. For model development and validation, study participants were randomly divided into a training and a testing group, respectively, by the employed algorithm. RESULTS Enhanced fetal lung growth throughout pregnancy predicted a lower early-life respiratory infection risk. Male sex was associated with a higher risk for respiratory infections in infancy. Fetal lung growth could also predict the risk of asthma at five years of age. We designed three machine-learning models to predict the risk and number of infections in infancy as well as the risk of early-onset asthma. The models' R2 values were 0.92, 0.90 and 0.93, respectively, underscoring a high accuracy and agreement between the actual and predicted values. Influential variables included known risk factors and novel predictors, such as ultrasound-monitored fetal lung growth. CONCLUSION Sonographic monitoring of fetal lung growth allows to predict the risk for early-life respiratory infections and asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra E Zazara
- Division for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- University Children's Hospital, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olympia Giannou
- Computer Engineering and Informatics Department, Polytechnic School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Steven Schepanski
- Division for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Anastasios D Giannou
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
- Section of Molecular Immunology and Gastroenterology, I. Department of Medicine, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maike Pincus
- Pediatrics and Pediatric Pneumology Practice, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ioannis Belios
- Division for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Bonn
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, ZMNH, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ania C Muntau
- University Children's Hospital, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kurt Hecher
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anke Diemert
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra Clara Arck
- Division for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, UKE, Hamburg, Germany.
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Luby JL, Herzberg MP, Hoyniak C, Tillman R, Lean RE, Brady R, Triplett R, Alexopoulos D, Loseille D, Smyser T, Rogers CE, Warner B, Smyser CD, Barch DM. Basic Environmental Supports for Positive Brain and Cognitive Development in the First Year of Life. JAMA Pediatr 2024; 178:465-472. [PMID: 38497981 PMCID: PMC10949150 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Importance Defining basic psychosocial resources to facilitate thriving in the first year of life could tangibly inform policy and enhance child development worldwide. Objective To determine if key environmental supports measured as a thrive factor (T-factor) in the first year of life positively impact brain, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes through age 3. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective longitudinal cohort study took place at a Midwestern academic medical center from 2017 through 2022. Participants included singleton offspring oversampled for those facing poverty, without birth complications, congenital anomalies, or in utero substance exposures (except cigarettes and marijuana) ascertained prenatally and followed up prospectively for the first 3 years of life. Data were analyzed from March 9, 2023, through January 3, 2024. Exposures Varying levels of prenatal social disadvantage advantage and a T-factor composed of environmental stimulation, nutrition, neighborhood safety, positive caregiving, and child sleep. Main outcomes & measures Gray and white matter brain volumes and cortical folding at ages 2 and 3 years, cognitive and language abilities at age 3 years measured by the Bayley-III, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 2 years measured by the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment. Results The T-factor was positively associated with child cognitive abilities (β = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.52), controlling key variables including prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) and maternal cognitive abilities. The T-factor was associated with child language (β = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.24-0.49), but not after covarying for PSD. The association of the T-factor with child cognitive and language abilities was moderated by PSD (β = -0.32; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.15 and β = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.20, respectively). Increases in the T-factor were positively associated with these outcomes, but only for children at the mean and 1 SD below the mean of PSD. The T-factor was negatively associated with child externalizing and internalizing symptoms over and above PSD and other covariates (β = -0.30; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.08 and β = -0.32; 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.09, respectively). Increasing T-factor scores were associated with decreases in internalizing symptoms, but only for children with PSD 1 SD above the mean. The T-factor was positively associated with child cortical gray matter above PSD and other covariates (β = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.04-0.54), with no interaction between PSD and T-factor. Conclusions and Relevance Findings from this study suggest that key aspects of the psychosocial environment in the first year impact critical developmental outcomes including cognitive, brain, and socioemotional development at age 3 years. This suggests that environmental resources and enhancement in the first year of life may facilitate every infant's ability to thrive, setting the stage for a more positive developmental trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Max P Herzberg
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Caroline Hoyniak
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rachel E Lean
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rebecca Brady
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Regina Triplett
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Dimitrios Alexopoulos
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - David Loseille
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Tara Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
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12
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Fontanesi L, Verrocchio MC, D'Ettorre M, Prete G, Ceravolo F, Marchetti D. The impact of catastrophic events on the sex ratio at birth: A systematic review. Am J Hum Biol 2024; 36:e24003. [PMID: 37916952 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.24003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The impact of maternal stress on birth outcomes is well established in the scientific research. The sex ratio at birth (SRB), namely the ratio of male to female live births, shows significant alteration when mothers experience acute stress conditions, as proposed by the Trivers-Willard Hypothesis. We aimed to synthetize the literature on the relationship between two exogenous and catastrophic stressful events (natural disasters and epidemics) and SRB. METHODS A systematic search was run in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, until March 9, 2023. The search produced 1336 articles and 25 articles met the inclusion criteria. We found seven case-control studies and 18 observational studies. Most of studies investigated the impact of earthquakes and other natural disasters. Only seven studies examined the effect of epidemics or pandemics. RESULTS The results of the studies seem inconsistent, as 16 studies found a decline in SRB, three found a rise, four did not record any change and two studies gave contradictory results. The period and population analyzed, the source of information, the method of variance analysis in the SRB, and the failure to assess confounding variables may have influenced the incongruence of the results. CONCLUSION Our findings contribute to improve the knowledge about the relationship between socio-ecological factors and SRB. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms by which this relationship impacts public health, in particular the health of pregnant women and their newborn, through an accurate and consistent methodology that also includes confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilybeth Fontanesi
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Verrocchio
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Melissa D'Ettorre
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giulia Prete
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesco Ceravolo
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Daniela Marchetti
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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13
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VanBronkhorst SB, McCormack CA, Scorza P, Lee S, Feng T, Hane A, Duarte CS, Monk C. Maternal childhood trauma and observed maternal care behaviors with 4-month-old infants. PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA : THEORY, RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY 2024; 16:S81-S87. [PMID: 37535534 PMCID: PMC10837317 DOI: 10.1037/tra0001554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and early maternal caregiving behaviors (MCB). METHOD Participants included 74 mother-infant dyads (maternal age 20-45 years; ethnicity 64.9% Latina) from a longitudinal pregnancy cohort study. Maternal childhood trauma was assessed during pregnancy with the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). Observed mother-infant interactions at infant age 4 months were coded utilizing modified Ainsworth's MCB rating scales that assessed a range of behaviors (e.g., acceptance, soothing, and delight) which we analyze grouped together and will summarize using the term "maternal sensitivity." Linear regressions tested the associations between maternal childhood trauma and MCB. Primary analyses examined the relationships of MCB with (a) any maternal childhood trauma (moderate or greater exposure to physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and/or emotional neglect) and (b) cumulative childhood trauma. Secondary analyses examined the relationships between each type of childhood trauma and MCB. RESULTS Exposure to childhood trauma was not associated with MCB (p = .88). Cumulative childhood trauma score was associated with lower scores on MCB (β = -1.88, p < .05). Emotional abuse and emotional neglect were individually associated with lower scores on MCB (β = -1.78, p = .04; β = -1.55, p = .04, respectively). Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and physical neglect were not associated with MCB. CONCLUSIONS Many mothers exposed to childhood trauma may be resilient to negative effects on parenting behaviors, while specific experiences of childhood trauma (emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and cumulative childhood trauma) may predict less sensitive early parenting behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara B VanBronkhorst
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute
| | | | - Pamela Scorza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Tianshu Feng
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene
| | - Amie Hane
- Department of Psychology, Bronfman Science Center, Williams College
| | - Cristiane S Duarte
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute
| | - Catherine Monk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute
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14
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Abrishamcar S, Zhuang B, Thomas M, Gladish N, MacIsaac J, Jones M, Simons E, Moraes T, Mandhane P, Brook J, Subbarao P, Turvey S, Chen E, Miller G, Kobor M, Huels A. Association between Maternal Perinatal Stress and Depression on Infant DNA Methylation in the First Year of Life. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3962429. [PMID: 38562779 PMCID: PMC10984027 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3962429/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Maternal stress and depression during pregnancy and the first year of the infant's life affect a large percentage of mothers. Maternal stress and depression have been associated with adverse fetal and childhood outcomes as well as differential child DNA methylation (DNAm). However, the biological mechanisms connecting maternal stress and depression to poor health outcomes in children are still largely unknown. Here we aim to determine whether prenatal stress and depression are associated with changes in cord blood mononuclear cell DNAm (CBMC-DNAm) in newborns (n = 119) and whether postnatal stress and depression are associated with changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNAm (PBMC-DNAm) in children of 12 months of age (n = 113) from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) cohort. Stress was measured using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Questionnaire (CESD). Both stress and depression were measured at 18 weeks and 36 weeks of pregnancy and six months and 12 months postpartum. We conducted epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) using robust linear regression followed by a sensitivity analysis in which we bias-adjusted for inflation and unmeasured confounding using the bacon and cate methods. To investigate the cumulative effect of maternal stress and depression, we created composite prenatal and postnatal adversity scores. We identified a significant association between prenatal stress and differential CBMC-DNAm at 8 CpG sites and between prenatal depression and differential CBMC-DNAm at 2 CpG sites. Additionally, we identified a significant association between postnatal stress and differential PBMC-DNAm at 8 CpG sites and between postnatal depression and differential PBMC-DNAm at 11 CpG sites. Using our composite scores, we further identified 2 CpG sites significantly associated with prenatal adversity and 7 CpG sites significantly associated with postnatal adversity. Several of the associated genes, including PLAGL1, HYMAI, BRD2, and ERC2 have been implicated in adverse fetal outcomes and neuropsychiatric disorders. This suggested that differential DNAm may play a role in the relationship between maternal mental health and child health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anke Huels
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
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15
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Lester BM, Camerota M, Everson TM, Shuster CL, Marsit CJ. Toward a more holistic approach to the study of exposures and child outcomes. Epigenomics 2024; 16:635-651. [PMID: 38482639 PMCID: PMC11157992 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: The current work was designed to demonstrate the application of the exposome framework in examining associations between exposures and children's long-term neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected from birth through age 6 from 402 preterm infants. Three statistical methods were utilized to demonstrate the exposome framework: exposome-wide association study, cumulative exposure and machine learning models, with and without epigenetic data. Results: Each statistical approach answered a distinct research question regarding the impact of exposures on longitudinal child outcomes. Findings highlight associations between exposures, epigenetics and executive function. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate how an exposome-based approach can be utilized to understand relationships between internal (e.g., DNA methylation) and external (e.g., prenatal risk) exposures and long-term developmental outcomes in preterm children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry M Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI 02905, USA
| | - Marie Camerota
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI 02905, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Coral L Shuster
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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16
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Bakhireva LN, Solomon E, Roberts MH, Ma X, Rai R, Wiesel A, Jacobson SW, Weinberg J, Milligan ED. Independent and Combined Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Prenatal Stress on Fetal HPA Axis Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2690. [PMID: 38473937 PMCID: PMC10932119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052690] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and prenatal stress (PS) are highly prevalent conditions known to affect fetal programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of light PAE, PS, and PAE-PS interaction on fetal HPA axis activity assessed via placental and umbilical cord blood biomarkers. Participants of the ENRICH-2 cohort were recruited during the second trimester and classified into the PAE and unexposed control groups. PS was assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale. Placental tissue was collected promptly after delivery; gene and protein analysis for 11β-HSD1, 11β-HSD2, and pCRH were conducted by qPCR and ELISA, respectively. Umbilical cord blood was analyzed for cortisone and cortisol. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression examined the association of PAE and PS with HPA axis biomarkers. Mean alcohol consumption in the PAE group was ~2 drinks/week. Higher PS was observed in the PAE group (p < 0.01). In multivariable modeling, PS was associated with pCRH gene expression (β = 0.006, p < 0.01), while PAE was associated with 11β-HSD2 protein expression (β = 0.56, p < 0.01). A significant alcohol-by-stress interaction was observed with respect to 11β-HSD2 protein expression (p < 0.01). Results indicate that PAE and PS may independently and in combination affect fetal programming of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila N. Bakhireva
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Elizabeth Solomon
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Melissa H. Roberts
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Xingya Ma
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Rajani Rai
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Alexandria Wiesel
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA;
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Erin D. Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
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17
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Conradt E, Carter S, Crowell SE. What's next for the field of multigenerational mental health? The need for deep behavioral phenotyping via a prenatal mental health registry. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38347753 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
From its inception, development and psychopathology theorists have sought to uncover the earliest forms of risk for mental health challenges in children, to prevent the development of more severe, intractable manifestations of psychopathology. Large familial risk registries have advanced our understanding of early, potentially modifiable factors that could prevent or mitigate the expression of challenging symptoms of neurodevelopmental conditions, and similar registries have been proposed to advance understanding of ADHD and related phenotypes. Data from single-site studies, largely focused on perinatal exposure to maternal mood disorders, reveal that a robust predictor of child psychopathology is parental psychopathology. However, early developmental trajectories of psychopathology risk may be better captured using transdiagnostic approaches in pregnancy, capturing the full range of mental health symptoms. We describe here the need for a parental mental health registry that begins prenatally that includes deep behavioral phenotyping across a range of transdiagnostic indicators of mental health risk to prevent psychopathology in children. This registry has the potential to uncover pathways to psychopathology risk in childhood and support the discovery of novel mechanisms to be targeted for prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sierra Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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18
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Keith MH, Martin MA. Social Determinant Pathways to Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Nulliparous U.S. Women. Womens Health Issues 2024; 34:36-44. [PMID: 37718230 PMCID: PMC10840909 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.08.001] [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: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States and impact Black mothers at disproportionately higher rates. Hypertensive disparities among racialized groups are rooted in systemic inequalities, and we hypothesize that clinical markers of allostatic load capture embodied disparities in stressors that can link upstream social determinants of health with downstream hypertensive outcomes. METHODS We analyzed observational cohort data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be (n = 6,501) and developed a structural equation model linking latent social determinants of health, longitudinal markers of allostatic load across gestation, and hypertensive pregnancy outcomes in a multigroup framework. RESULTS Non-Hispanic Black mothers-to-be (n = 1,155) showed higher rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (32%) than non-Hispanic white women (n = 5,346, 23%). Among both groups, the social environment showed stronger direct effects on allostatic markers than via behaviorally mediated dietary, exercise, or smoking pathways. Demographic aspects of the social environment (e.g., household income, partnered status) were the most salient predictor of hypertensive risk and showed stronger effects among Black women. CONCLUSIONS Embodied stress rooted in the social environment is a major path driving maternal hypertensive disparities in the United States, with effects that vary across racialized groups. These pathway findings underscore the greater impact of systemic stressors relative to individual health behaviors. More comprehensive and detailed analyses of sociostructural domains are needed to identify promising avenues for policy and intervention to improve maternal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica H Keith
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Melanie A Martin
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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19
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Crawford AD, Carder EC, Lopez E, McGlothen-Bell K. Doula Support and Pregnancy-Related Complications and Death Among Childbearing Women in the United States: A Scoping Review. J Midwifery Womens Health 2024; 69:118-126. [PMID: 37486606 PMCID: PMC11200313 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13543] [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] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The potential benefits of perinatal doula support are many; however, doulas are underutilized, which may heighten pregnancy-related complications. In this scoping review, we assess the influence of perinatal doula support on pregnancy-related complications and death in the United States. METHODS We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Alt HealthWatch for literature on doula support and its influence on pregnancy-related complications (maternal fever or infection, postpartum hemorrhage, amniotic fluid embolism, complications from anesthesia, preeclampsia, eclampsia, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary or thrombotic embolism, and cerebrovascular accident). Peer-reviewed articles written in English and conducted in the United States from 1969 to 2021 were included. Screening at all levels was blinded. We extracted data based on title, author, year, design, population, sample size, methods, limitations, recommendations, and definition of doula support. RESULTS Following removal of duplicates, review of 3679 article titles and abstracts yielded 42 articles for full-text review; 3 articles met final inclusion criteria. One included study focused on intrapartum doula support and 2 on doula support that extended throughout the perinatal period. Within the included studies, doula support was associated with decreased rates of intrapartum maternal fever and gestational hypertension; however, it was not associated with decreased rates of gestational diabetes or depression. DISCUSSION The literature has addressed the benefits of perinatal doula support, but studies with validated tools to examine associations between doula support and pregnancy-related complications and death are lacking. The studies that addressed intrapartum and continuous doula care included large generalizable samples, from which future research can draw to improve the practice of caring for patients during the perinatal period. Extensive research shows that unfavorable conditions can influence perinatal outcomes across generations. Implementing doula support may offer a potential approach to reduce and help alleviate resulting disparities in perinatal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison D. Crawford
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Emily C. Carder
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Emme Lopez
- Texas A&M University, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Kelly McGlothen-Bell
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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20
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Tuulari JJ, Rajasilta O, Cabral J, Kringelbach ML, Karlsson L, Karlsson H. Maternal prenatal distress exposure negatively associates with the stability of neonatal frontoparietal network. Stress 2024; 27:2275207. [PMID: 37877207 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2275207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal prenatal distress (PD), frequently defined as in utero prenatal stress exposure (PSE) to the developing fetus, influences the developing brain and numerous associations between PSE and brain structure have been described both in neonates and in older children. Previous studies addressing PSE-linked alterations in neonates' brain activity have focused on connectivity analyses from predefined seed regions, but the effects of PSE at the level of distributed functional networks remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of prenatal distress on the spatial and temporal properties of functional networks detected in functional MRI data from 20 naturally sleeping, term-born (age 25.85 ± 7.72 days, 11 males), healthy neonates. First, we performed group level independent component analysis (GICA) to evaluate an association between PD and the identified functional networks. Second, we searched for an association with PD at the level of the stability of functional networks over time using leading eigenvector dynamics analysis (LEiDA). No statistically significant associations were detected at the spatial level for the GICA-derived networks. However, at the dynamic level, LEiDA revealed that maternal PD negatively associated with the stability of a frontoparietal network. These results imply that maternal PD may influence the stability of frontoparietal connections in neonatal brain network dynamics and adds to the cumulating evidence that frontal areas are especially sensitive to PSE. We advocate for early preventive intervention strategies regarding pregnant mothers. Nevertheless, future research venues are required to assess optimal intervention timing and methods for maximum benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology (TCSMT), University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Neurocenter, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Joana Cabral
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku Finland
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21
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González FAI. Income, stress, and sex ratios over 1895-2010. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2024; 69:4-18. [PMID: 38437066 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2024.2325348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The medical literature has shown that populations under high stress have a lower sex ratio at birth (i.e. number of males for every 100 females). In this paper, I examine the relationship between income, as a source of economic stress, and the sex ratio at a subnational level for the 1895-2010 period. For this, I use census microdata from Argentina -a developing country that experienced rapid growth at the end of the 19th century and stagnated in recent decades- and I estimate from a two-way fixed effects model that exploits the wide temporal and geographic variability in income. The results show that as per capita income increases, the sex ratio at birth also increases. In particular, for every US$ 1,000 increase in per capita income, the sex ratio increases between 0.3 and 0.6 points. These findings make it possible to quantify the lost boys (i.e. those boys who were not born due to high economic stress on their parents) and constitute a call for attention in favor of the implementation of prenatal care policies -especially in periods of stagnation or income decline- to maintain a more balanced sex ratio.
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22
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Arima H. Seasonal variation in air pollutant levels and its effects on the sex ratio at birth on Fukue island, Japan. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2471. [PMID: 38082405 PMCID: PMC10714618 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17418-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In general, a slightly higher number of boys are born than girls, and the sex ratio at birth (number of male births/number of female births) is reported to be 1.03-1.07 in many countries. However, pregnant women exposed to high levels of atmospheric particulate matter have a reduced sex ratio at birth. Exposure to air pollutants can also lead to premature birth, suggesting that inflammation within the body may affect pregnancy maintenance and fetal development. On the other hand, the effects of air pollutants carried from afar by monsoons on the sex ratio at birth in downstream areas have not been evaluated. We focused on the Goto Islands, where various air pollutants flow from the Eurasian continent. The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of the atmospheric level of each pollutant on the sex ratio at birth on the Goto Islands. METHODS We extracted observation data of particulate matter 2.5, sulfur dioxide, oxidants, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and methane from the National Institute for Environmental Studies database. In addition, the monthly sex ratio at birth was calculated using birth data from the National Statistics Center. To evaluate the effect of substance exposure just before fertilization on the sex ratio at birth, we analyzed the relationship between the observed pollutant level and the sex ratio at birth 9 months later. A stepwise generalized linear model was used to analyze the effects of air pollutant levels on the sex ratio at birth. RESULTS The observed values for all pollutants were significantly different between seasons, including the particulate matter 2.5 (p < 0.0001), sulfur dioxide (p = 0.0026), oxidant (p < 0.0001), nonmethane hydrocarbon (p < 0.0001), and methane (p < 0.0001) values. In the target population in the target period, the total number of births was 1835, and the sex ratio at birth was 0.967. Univariate analysis showed that the values of particulate matter 2.5 (p = 0.0157) and oxidants (p = 0.0047) correlated negatively with the sex ratio at birth. In addition, the results of multivariate analysis using the stepwise method in the model equation indicated that every 1 ppm increase in the observed OX value resulted in a 0.311 decrease in the sex ratio at birth (p = 0.0034). CONCLUSIONS We evaluated the relationship between seasonal variations in air pollutant levels and the sex ratio at birth 9 months later on the Goto Islands. We found that an increase in oxidant levels just before and after conception may be a risk factor for a lower sex ratio at birth. Due to the previously reported vulnerability of male fetuses, females who become pregnant when air pollutant concentrations are high may be more likely to have a female baby. It is necessary to evaluate the effects of oxidants on various aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Arima
- Department of International Health and Medical Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
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23
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McKenna BG, Choi J, Brennan PA, K Knight A, Smith AK, R Pilkay S, Corwin EJ, Dunlop AL. Maternal Adversity and Epigenetic Age Acceleration Predict Heightened Emotional Reactivity in Offspring: Implications for Intergenerational Transmission of Risk. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1753-1767. [PMID: 36227464 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00981-7] [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] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Black American women are disproportionately exposed to adversities that may have an intergenerational impact on mental health. The present study examined whether maternal exposure to adversity and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA; a biomarker of stress exposure) predicts the socioemotional health of her offspring. During pregnancy, 180 Black American women self-reported experiences of childhood adversity and marginalization-related adversity (i.e., racial discrimination and gendered racial stress) and provided a blood sample for epigenetic assessment. At a three-year follow-up visit, women reported their offspring's emotional reactivity (an early indicator of psychopathology) via the CBCL/1.5-5. After adjusting for maternal education and offspring sex, results indicated that greater maternal experiences of childhood trauma (β = 0.21, SE(β) = 0.01; p = 0.01) and racial discrimination (β = 0.14, SE(β) = 0.07; p = 0.049) predicted greater offspring emotional reactivity, as did maternal EAA (β = 0.17, SE(β) = 0.09, p = 0.046). Our findings suggest that maternal EAA could serve as an early biomarker for intergenerational risk conferred by maternal adversity, and that 'maternal adversity' must be defined more broadly to include social marginalization, particularly for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke G McKenna
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Joanne Choi
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Stefanie R Pilkay
- School of Social Work, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | | | - Anne L Dunlop
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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24
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Patra BG, Sun Z, Cheng Z, Kumar PKRJ, Altammami A, Liu Y, Joly R, Jedlicka C, Delgado D, Pathak J, Peng Y, Zhang Y. Automated classification of lay health articles using natural language processing: a case study on pregnancy health and postpartum depression. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1258887. [PMID: 38053538 PMCID: PMC10694448 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1258887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Evidence suggests that high-quality health education and effective communication within the framework of social support hold significant potential in preventing postpartum depression. Yet, developing trustworthy and engaging health education and communication materials requires extensive expertise and substantial resources. In light of this, we propose an innovative approach that involves leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to classify publicly accessible lay articles based on their relevance and subject matter to pregnancy and mental health. Materials and methods We manually reviewed online lay articles from credible and medically validated sources to create a gold standard corpus. This manual review process categorized the articles based on their pertinence to pregnancy and related subtopics. To streamline and expand the classification procedure for relevance and topics, we employed advanced NLP models such as Random Forest, Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), and Generative Pre-trained Transformer model (gpt-3.5-turbo). Results The gold standard corpus included 392 pregnancy-related articles. Our manual review process categorized the reading materials according to lifestyle factors associated with postpartum depression: diet, exercise, mental health, and health literacy. A BERT-based model performed best (F1 = 0.974) in an end-to-end classification of relevance and topics. In a two-step approach, given articles already classified as pregnancy-related, gpt-3.5-turbo performed best (F1 = 0.972) in classifying the above topics. Discussion Utilizing NLP, we can guide patients to high-quality lay reading materials as cost-effective, readily available health education and communication sources. This approach allows us to scale the information delivery specifically to individuals, enhancing the relevance and impact of the materials provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braja Gopal Patra
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zhaoyi Sun
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zilin Cheng
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Abdullah Altammami
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yiyang Liu
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rochelle Joly
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Caroline Jedlicka
- Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
- Samuel J. Wood Library & C.V. Starr Biomedical Information Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Diana Delgado
- Samuel J. Wood Library & C.V. Starr Biomedical Information Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jyotishman Pathak
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yifan Peng
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yiye Zhang
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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25
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Barcelona V, Abuaish S, Lee S, Harkins S, Butler A, Tycko B, Baccarelli AA, Walsh K, Monk CE. Stress and DNA Methylation of Blood Leukocytes among Pregnant Latina Women. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:27. [PMID: 37987302 PMCID: PMC10660842 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Latinas experience physical and psychological stressors in pregnancy leading to increased morbidity and higher risk for adverse birth outcomes. Epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation (DNAm), have been proposed as markers to create more refined risk stratification, yet few of these studies have examined these changes in Latinas. We conducted a secondary analysis of stored blood leukocytes of Latina women (n = 58) enrolled in a larger National Institutes of Health funded R01 project (2011-2016). We examined DNAm on eight candidate stress genes to compare physically and psychologically stressed participants to healthy (low stress) participants. We found unique CpGs that were differentially methylated in stressed women early- and mid-pregnancy compared to the healthy group, though none remained significant after FDR correction. Both physical and psychological stress were associated with hypomethylation at two consecutive CpG sites on NR3C1 in early pregnancy and one CpG site on NR3C1 in mid-pregnancy before adjustment. Stress was also associated with hypomethylation at two CpG sites on FKBP5 in early and mid-pregnancy but were no longer significant after FDR adjustment. Though we did not find statistically significant differences in DNAm during pregnancy between stressed and healthy women in this sample, signals were consistent with previous findings. Future work in larger samples should further examine the associations between stress and DNAm in pregnancy as this mechanism may explain underlying perinatal health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sameera Abuaish
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Mental Health Data Science, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA;
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Sarah Harkins
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Ashlie Butler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Benjamin Tycko
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA;
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Kate Walsh
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Catherine E. Monk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA;
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
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26
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Li J, Gao X, Wang S, Yao D, Shao S, Wu H, Xu M, Yi Q, Xie L, Zhu Z, Song D, Li H. The role of m6A methylation in prenatal maternal psychological distress and birth outcome. J Affect Disord 2023; 338:52-59. [PMID: 37269885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal psychological distress (PMPD) is a known risk factor for adverse birth outcomes. N6-methyladenosine RNA (m6A) methylation is crucial in moderating RNA biology. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between PMPD, birth outcomes, and placental m6A methylation. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study. PMPD exposure was assessed by questionnaires about prenatal stress, depression, and anxiety. Placental m6A methylation was measured using a colorimetric assay. The relationships between PMPD, m6A methylation, gestational age (GA), and birth weight (BW) were analyzed using structural equation models (SEMs). Maternal weight gain during pregnancy and infant sex were included as covariables. RESULTS The study included 209 mother-infant dyads. In an adjusted SEM, PMPD was associated with BW (B = -26.034; 95 % CI: -47.123, -4.868) and GA (B = -0.603; 95 % CI: -1.102, -0.154). M6A methylation was associated with PMPD (B = 0.055; 95 % CI: 0.040,0.073) and BW (B = -305.799; 95 % CI: -520.164, -86.460) but not GA. The effect of PMPD on BW was partially mediated by m6A methylation (B = -16.817; 95 % CI: -31.348, -4.638) and GA (B = -12.280; 95 % CI: -23.612, -3.079). Maternal weight gain was associated with BW (B = 5.113; 95 % CI: 0.229,10.438). LIMITATIONS The study sample size was small, and the specific mechanism of m6A methylation on birth outcomes needs to be further explored. CONCLUSIONS In this study, PMPD exposure negatively affected BW and GA. Placental m6A methylation was associated with PMPD and BW and partially mediated the effect of PMPD on BW. Our findings highlight the importance of perinatal psychological evaluation and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xueyun Gao
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dan Yao
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuya Shao
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Haoyue Wu
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Meina Xu
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiqi Yi
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Longshan Xie
- Department of Functional Neuroscience, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, North 81 Lingnan Avenue, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongliang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Maternal and Infant Health Research Institute and Medical College, Northwestern University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dongli Song
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, 751 South Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 725 Welch Rd 2 West, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China; Department of Neonatology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710002, Shaanxi, China.
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27
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Jones-Mason K, Coccia M, Alkon A, Melanie Thomas KCP, Laraia B, Adler N, Epel ES, Bush NR. Parental sensitivity modifies the associations between maternal prenatal stress exposure, autonomic nervous system functioning and infant temperament in a diverse, low-income sample. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:487-523. [PMID: 37749913 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2257669] [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: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that adversity experienced during fetal development may shape infant physiologic functioning and temperament. Parental sensitivity is associated with child stress regulation and may act as a buffer against risk for intergenerational health effects of pre- or postnatal adversity. Building upon prior evidence in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of infants (M infant age = 6.5 months) and women of low socioeconomic status, this study examined whether coded parenting sensitivity moderated the association between an objective measure of prenatal stress exposures (Stressful Life Events (SLE)) and infant parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) or sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) nervous system functioning assessed during administration of the Still-Face-Paradigm (SFP) (n = 66), as well as maternal report of temperament (n = 154). Results showed that parental sensitivity moderated the associations between prenatal stress exposures and infant RSA reactivity, RSA recovery, PEP recovery, and temperamental negativity. Findings indicate that greater parental sensitivity is associated with lower infant autonomic nervous system reactivity and greater recovery from challenge. Results support the hypothesis that parental sensitivity buffers infants from the risk of prenatal stress exposure associations with offspring cross-system physiologic reactivity and regulation, potentially shaping trajectories of health and development and promoting resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Michael Coccia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Abbey Alkon
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Barbara Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Nancy Adler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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28
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Zhuang S, Chen M, Ma X, Jiang J, Xiao G, Zhao Y, Hou J, Wang Y. The needs of women experiencing perinatal loss: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Women Birth 2023; 36:409-420. [PMID: 37024379 DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
PROBLEM There have been some studies on the needs of women experiencing perinatal loss in various socio-cultural contexts, but there is no research that systematically and comprehensively synthesizes these needs. BACKGROUND Perinatal loss has profound psychosocial effects. The misconceptions and prejudices existing in the public, the lack of satisfactory clinical care, and the available social support may all increase the negative impact. AIM To synthesize evidence for the needs of women experiencing perinatal loss, attempt to explain the findings, and provide insights into the application of evidence. METHODS Published papers were searched in seven electronic databases until 26 March 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Through meta-aggregation, the data was extracted, rated, and synthesized, resulting in new categories and findings. The credibility and dependability of the synthesized evidence were evaluated by ConQual. FINDINGS Thirteen studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and quality assessment were included in the meta-synthesis. Five synthesized findings were identified, covering information needs, emotional needs, social needs, clinical care needs, as well as spiritual and religious needs. CONCLUSION Women's perinatal bereavement needs were individualized and diverse. There is a necessity to understand, identify, and respond to their needs in a sensitive and personalized way. Families, communities, healthcare institutions, and society form a coordinated whole and provide accessible resources to improve recovery from perinatal loss and a satisfactory outcome in the subsequent pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Zhuang
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Mengyun Chen
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Ximei Ma
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Jingjing Jiang
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Guanghong Xiao
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Yanan Zhao
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Jiawen Hou
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- School of Nursing, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730011, China.
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Camerota M, McGowan EC, Carter BS, Check J, Dansereau LM, DellaGrotta SA, Helderman JB, Hofheimer JA, Neal CR, O'Shea TM, Pastyrnak SL, Smith LM, Lester BM. Maternal Prenatal Risk Phenotypes and Neurobehavioral Outcomes among Infants Born Very Preterm. J Pediatr 2023; 260:113521. [PMID: 37244578 PMCID: PMC10527115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether prenatal risk phenotypes are associated with neurobehavioral impairment for children born <30 weeks of gestation at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and at 24-month follow-up. STUDY DESIGN We studied infants from the Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) study, a multisite investigation of infants born <30 weeks of gestation. There were 704 newborns enrolled in the NOVI study; of these, 679 (96%) had neonatal neurobehavioral data and 556 (79%) had 24-month follow-up data. Maternal prenatal phenotypes (physical and psychological risk groups) were characterized from 24 physical and psychological health risk factors. Neurobehavior was assessed at NICU discharge using the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales and at 2-year follow-up using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and the Child Behavior Checklist. RESULTS Children born to mothers in the psychological risk group were at increased risk for dysregulated neonatal neurobehavior (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.08-3.87) at NICU discharge, and for severe motor delay (OR, 3.80; 95% CI, 1.48-9.75), and clinically significant externalizing problems (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.15-5.56) at age 24 months, compared with children born to mothers in the low-risk group. Children born to mothers in the physical risk group were more likely to have severe motor delay (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.07-6.85) compared with the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS High-risk maternal prenatal phenotypes were associated with neurobehavioral impairment for children born very preterm. This information could identify newborns at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Camerota
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI.
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI; Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Brian S Carter
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
| | - Jennifer Check
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Lynne M Dansereau
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI
| | | | | | - Julie A Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Charles R Neal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Steven L Pastyrnak
- Department of Pediatrics, Spectrum Health-Helen DeVos Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI
| | - Lynne M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI; Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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Reznik SE, Vuguin PM, Cohen A, Khoury R, Loudig O, Balakrishnan R, Fineberg SA, Hughes F, Harigopal M, Charron MJ. SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Unvaccinated High-Risk Pregnant Women in the Bronx, NY, USA Is Associated with Decreased Apgar Scores and Placental Villous Infarcts. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1224. [PMID: 37627289 PMCID: PMC10452574 DOI: 10.3390/biom13081224] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Babies born to severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected mothers are at greater risk for perinatal morbidity and more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first year of life. However, the effect of maternal infection on placental function and neonatal outcomes varies depending upon the patient population. We set out to test our hypothesis that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in our underserved, socioeconomically disadvantaged, mostly unvaccinated, predominantly African American and Latina population in the Bronx, NY would have effects evident at birth. Under IRB approval, 56 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients infected during the "first wave" of the pandemic with alpha and beta strains of the virus, 48 patients infected during the "second wave" of the pandemic with delta and omicron strains and 61 negative third-trimester high-risk patients were randomly selected from Montefiore Medical Center (MMC), Bronx, NY. In addition, two positive cases from Yale New Haven Hospital, CT were included as controls. All 104 placentas delivered by SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers were uninfected by the virus, based on immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and qPCR analysis. However, placental villous infarcts were significantly increased in first-wave cases compared to second-wave cases or negative controls. Significantly lower Apgar scores at 1 min and 5 min were observed in neonates born to infected mothers with severe symptoms. These findings suggest that even without entering the placenta, SARS-CoV-2 can affect various systemic pathways, culminating in altered placental development and function, which may adversely affect the fetus, especially in a high-risk patient population such as ours. These results underline the importance of vaccination among pregnant women, particularly in low-resource areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra E. Reznik
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA
| | - Patricia M. Vuguin
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexa Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Rasha Khoury
- Obstetrics and Gynecology and Divisions of Complex Family Planning and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Olivier Loudig
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Ridin Balakrishnan
- Department of Pathology, Louisiana School of Medicine, LSU Health, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Susan A. Fineberg
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Francine Hughes
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Malini Harigopal
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Maureen J. Charron
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine and the Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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31
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Riquelme-Gallego B, Martínez-Vázquez S, Caparros-Gonzalez RA. Pandemic-related stress in pregnant women during the first COVID-19 lockdown and neonatal development. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37469194 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2023.2237527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal stress and psychopathology have a negative effect on mothers and neonates. Maternal stress may affect neonatal growth and development both physically and psychologically. PURPOSE To study the impact of pandemic-related pregnancy stress and maternal psychopathological symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 on neonatal development. METHODS A two-phase prospective study was carried out on a sample of 181 pregnant women ranged from 18 to 40 years old in Spain (Europe). Phase 1: Pandemic-related pregnancy stress (PREPS), Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PDQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the revised version of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90-R) were used to assess psychological symptoms during the lockdown. In the follow-up (Phase 2), obstetric, birth-related and anthropometric variables were collected from 81 pregnant women-neonates dyads. RESULTS Primiparous women showed higher psychopathological symptoms and higher levels of pandemic-related pregnancy stress than multiparous women. A multiple linear regression model showed that pandemic-related pregnancy stress could predict the length of neonate by adjusting for maternal age and gestational age, especially for primiparous women. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Studies assessing neonates development should evaluate the long-term effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on neonates´ length. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE States the relation between pandemic-related pregnancy stress and neonatal development by being able to track the effects on neonates whose mothers had high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Riquelme-Gallego
- Department of Nursing of the University of Granada, Ceuta Campus, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs. GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Rafael A Caparros-Gonzalez
- Department of Nursing of the University of Granada, Ceuta Campus, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs. GRANADA, Granada, Spain
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Koivu AM, Näsänen-Gilmore PK, Hunter PJ, Muthiani Y, Isojärvi J, Heimonen O, Bastola K, Csonka L, Ashorn P, Ashorn U. Antenatal interventions to address harmful behaviors and psychosocial risk factors in the prevention of low birth weight. Am J Clin Nutr 2023; 117 Suppl 2:S148-S159. [PMID: 37331761 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk factors related to the harmful behaviors, psychosocial wellbeing, and socio-economic circumstances in the lives of pregnant women can lead to adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight (LBW). OBJECTIVE This systematic search and review aims to provide a comparative evidence synthesis on the effect of eleven antenatal interventions targeted to address psychosocial risk factors on adverse birth outcomes. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and CINAHL Complete between March 2020 and May 2020. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and reviews of RCTs of eleven antenatal interventions for pregnant females reporting LBW, preterm birth (PTB), small-for-gestational-age or stillbirth as outcomes. For interventions where randomization was either not feasible or unethical, we accepted non-randomized controlled studies. RESULTS Seven records contributed data to the quantitative estimates of the effect sizes and 23 contributed to narrative analysis. Psychosocial interventions for reducing smoking in pregnancy likely reduced the risk of LBW, and professionally provided psychosocial support for at-risk women possibly reduced the risk of PTB. Financial incentives or nicotine replacement therapy as smoking cessation aids, or virtually delivered psychosocial support did not appear to reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes. The available evidence on these interventions was primarily from high-income countries. For other reviewed interventions (psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol use, group based psychosocial support programs, intimate partner violence prevention interventions, antidepressant medication, and cash transfers) there was little evidence in any direction regarding the efficacy or the data was conflicting. CONCLUSIONS Professionally provided psychosocial support during pregnancy in general and specifically as a means to reduce smoking can potentially contribute to improved newborn health. The gaps in the investments for research and implementation of psychosocial interventions should be addressed to better meet the global targets in LBW reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annariina M Koivu
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Pieta K Näsänen-Gilmore
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FI-00271, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Yvonne Muthiani
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jaana Isojärvi
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Otto Heimonen
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Kalpana Bastola
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leon Csonka
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Per Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ulla Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Saeed H, Lu YC, Andescavage N, Kapse K, Andersen NR, Lopez C, Quistorff J, Barnett S, Henderson D, Bulas D, Limperopoulos C. Influence of maternal psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic on placental morphometry and texture. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7374. [PMID: 37164993 PMCID: PMC10172401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33343-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been accompanied by increased prenatal maternal distress (PMD). PMD is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes which may be mediated by the placenta. However, the potential impact of the pandemic on in vivo placental development remains unknown. To examine the impact of the pandemic and PMD on in vivo structural placental development using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), acquired anatomic images of the placenta from 63 pregnant women without known COVID-19 exposure during the pandemic and 165 pre-pandemic controls. Measures of placental morphometry and texture were extracted. PMD was determined from validated questionnaires. Generalized estimating equations were utilized to compare differences in PMD placental features between COVID-era and pre-pandemic cohorts. Maternal stress and depression scores were significantly higher in the pandemic cohort. Placental volume, thickness, gray level kurtosis, skewness and run length non-uniformity were increased in the pandemic cohort, while placental elongation, mean gray level and long run emphasis were decreased. PMD was a mediator of the association between pandemic status and placental features. Altered in vivo placental structure during the pandemic suggests an underappreciated link between disturbances in maternal environment and perturbed placental development. The long-term impact on offspring is currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleema Saeed
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Yuan-Chiao Lu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Nickie Andescavage
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Division of Neonatology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Nicole R Andersen
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Catherine Lopez
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Jessica Quistorff
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Scott Barnett
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Diedtra Henderson
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Dorothy Bulas
- Division of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
- Division of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
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Gellisch M, Bablok M, Divvela SSK, Morosan-Puopolo G, Brand-Saberi B. Systemic Prenatal Stress Exposure through Corticosterone Application Adversely Affects Avian Embryonic Skin Development. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050656. [PMID: 37237470 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal stress exposure is considered a risk factor for developmental deficits and postnatal behavioral disorders. While the effect of glucocorticoid-associated prenatal stress exposure has been comprehensively studied in many organ systems, there is a lack of in-depth embryological investigations regarding the effects of stress on the integumentary system. To approach this, we employed the avian embryo as a model organism and investigated the effects of systemic pathologically-elevated glucocorticoid exposure on the development of the integumentary system. After standardized corticosterone injections on embryonic day 6, we compared the stress-exposed embryos with a control cohort, using histological and immunohistochemical analyses as well as in situ hybridization. The overarching developmental deficits observed in the stress-exposed embryos were reflected through downregulation of both vimentin as well as fibronectin. In addition, a deficient composition in the different skin layers became apparent, which could be linked to a reduced expression of Dermo-1 along with significantly reduced proliferation rates. An impairment of skin appendage formation could be demonstrated by diminished expression of Sonic hedgehog. These results contribute to a more profound understanding of prenatal stress causing severe deficits in the integumentary system of developing organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morris Gellisch
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Bablok
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Satya Srirama Karthik Divvela
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Gabriela Morosan-Puopolo
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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Brito A, Franco F, Brentani H, Beltrão-Braga PCB. Assessment of vulnerability dimensions considering Family History and environmental interplay in Autism Spectrum Disorder. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:254. [PMID: 37059985 PMCID: PMC10105456 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04747-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite previous studies have recently shown Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as having a strong genetics background, over a minimum environmental background, no study up to date has investigated the interplay between genetics and environment. METHODS We have collected data regarding Family History (FH) and Environmental Factors (EF) from 2,141 individuals with ASD and their caretakers throughout Brazil, based on an online questionnaire. Most of the ASD individuals were males (81%) and the average age was 02 years minimum for males and females, and the maximum age was 41 years for males and 54 for females. People from all states in Brazil have answered the questionnaire. Genetic inheritance was obtained based on the declared FH of Psychiatric and Neurological diagnosis. As for EF, exposure to risk factors during pregnancy was considered, like infections, diabetes, drugs/chemicals exposure, socioeconomic, and psychological factors. Respondents were invited to answer the questionnaire in lectures given throughout Brazil, and by the social networks of the NGO "The Tooth Fairy Project". A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was conducted to search vulnerability dimensions, and a Cluster Analysis was conducted to classify and identify the subgroups. RESULTS Regarding EF, social and psychological exposures contributed to the first two dimensions. Concerning FH, the first dimension represented psychiatric FH, while the second represented neurological FH. When analyzed together, EF and FH contributed to two new dimensions: 1. psychiatric FH, and 2. a psychosocial component. Using Cluster Analysis, it was not possible to isolate subgroups by genetic vulnerability or environmental exposure. Instead, a gradient of psychiatric FH with similar contributions of EF was observed. CONCLUSION In this study, it was not possible to isolate groups of patients that correspond to only one component, but rather a continuum with different compositions of genetic and environmental interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Brito
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe Franco
- Psychiatry Institute, University of São Paulo's Faculty of Medicine (IPq-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Interunit Postgraduate Program On Bioinformatics, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics (IME), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- Psychiatry Institute, University of São Paulo's Faculty of Medicine (IPq-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Cristina Baleeiro Beltrão-Braga
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Yeramilli V, Cheddadi R, Shah J, Brawner K, Martin C. A Review of the Impact of Maternal Prenatal Stress on Offspring Microbiota and Metabolites. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13040535. [PMID: 37110193 PMCID: PMC10142778 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13040535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal prenatal stress exposure affects the development of offspring. We searched for articles in the PubMed database and reviewed the evidence for how prenatal stress alters the composition of the microbiome, the production of microbial-derived metabolites, and regulates microbiome-induced behavioral changes in the offspring. The gut-brain signaling axis has gained considerable attention in recent years and provides insights into the microbial dysfunction in several metabolic disorders. Here, we reviewed evidence from human studies and animal models to discuss how maternal stress can modulate the offspring microbiome. We will discuss how probiotic supplementation has a profound effect on the stress response, the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and how psychobiotics are emerging as novel therapeutic targets. Finally, we highlight the potential molecular mechanisms by which the effects of stress are transmitted to the offspring and discuss how the mitigation of early-life stress as a risk factor can improve the birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata Yeramilli
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Riadh Cheddadi
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Juhi Shah
- Burnett School of Medicine, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA
| | - Kyle Brawner
- Department of Biology, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN 37204, USA
| | - Colin Martin
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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Luby JL, England SK, Barch DM, Warner BB, Rogers C, Smyser CD, Triplett R, Arora J, Smyser TA, Slavich GM, Zhao P, Stout M, Herzog E, Miller JP. Social disadvantage during pregnancy: effects on gestational age and birthweight. J Perinatol 2023; 43:477-483. [PMID: 36914799 PMCID: PMC10079545 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Whether psychosocial adversity during pregnancy impacts fetal health outcomes at birth remains underexplored. This is a critical issue given significant social disadvantage and psychosocial stress faced by pregnant women worldwide. STUDY DESIGN Measures of social disadvantage and psychological factors, and medical/reproductive and nutritional health status in pregnant women were obtained at each trimester. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we investigated the relationship of forms of adversity to each other and to infant gestational age, and birthweight. RESULTS Among 399 singletons, Social Disadvantage significantly predicted gestational age (p = 0.003), and residual birthweight (p = 0.006). There was a 0.4 week decrease in gestational age and a 3% decrease in birthweight for each standard deviation increase in Social Disadvantage. CONCLUSION Significant negative effects of social adversity on the developing fetus were found. Notably, these effects emerged despite good prenatal care and after accounting for maternal age and medical reproductive risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Sarah K England
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Barbara B Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Cynthia Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Regina Triplett
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jyoti Arora
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tara A Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peinan Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Molly Stout
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Erik Herzog
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - J Philip Miller
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Sosnowski DW, Ellison-Barnes A, Kaufman J, Hoyo C, Murphy SK, Hernandez RG, Marchesoni J, Klein LM, Johnson SB. Financial stress as a mediator of the association between maternal childhood adversity and infant birth weight, gestational age, and NICU admission. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:606. [PMID: 36997868 PMCID: PMC10064571 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15495-0] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To examine whether financial stress during pregnancy mediates the association between maternal exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and three birth outcomes (i.e., gestational age, birth weight, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit [NICU]). METHODS Data were obtained from a prospective cohort study of pregnant women and their infants in Florida and North Carolina. Mothers (n = 531; Mage at delivery = 29.8 years; 38% Black; 22% Hispanic) self-reported their exposure to childhood adversity and financial stress during pregnancy. Data on infant gestational age at birth, birth weight, and admission to the NICU were obtained from medical records within 7 days of delivery. Mediation analysis was used to test study hypotheses, adjusting for study cohort, maternal race, ethnicity, body mass index, and tobacco use during pregnancy. RESULTS There was evidence of an indirect association between maternal exposure to childhood adversity and infant gestational age at birth (b = -0.03, 95% CI = -0.06 - -0.01) and infant birth weight (b = -8.85, 95% CI = -18.60 - -1.28) such that higher maternal ACE score was associated with earlier gestational age and lower infant birth weight through increases in financial distress during pregnancy. There was no evidence of an indirect association between maternal exposure to childhood adversity and infant NICU admission (b = 0.01, 95% CI = -0.02-0.08). CONCLUSIONS Findings demonstrate one pathway linking maternal childhood adversity to a potentially preterm birth or shorter gestational age, in addition to low birth weight at delivery, and present an opportunity for targeted intervention to support expecting mothers who face financial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Sosnowski
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
| | | | - Joan Kaufman
- Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Human Health, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA
| | - Susan K Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Raquel G Hernandez
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Joddy Marchesoni
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Human Health, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA
| | - Lauren M Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Sara B Johnson
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
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Hipwell AE, Tung I, Sherlock P, Tang X, McKee K, McGrath M, Alshawabkeh A, Bastain T, Breton CV, Cowell W, Dabelea D, Duarte CS, Dunlop AL, Ferrera A, Herbstman JB, Hockett CW, Karagas MR, Keenan K, Krafty RT, Monk C, Nozadi SS, O'Connor TG, Oken E, Osmundson SS, Schantz S, Wright R, Comstock SS. Impact of sedentary behavior and emotional support on prenatal psychological distress and birth outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1-14. [PMID: 36883203 PMCID: PMC10485176 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723000314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract. BACKGROUND Studies have reported mixed findings regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pregnant women and birth outcomes. This study used a quasi-experimental design to account for potential confounding by sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS Data were drawn from 16 prenatal cohorts participating in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. Women exposed to the pandemic (delivered between 12 March 2020 and 30 May 2021) (n = 501) were propensity-score matched on maternal age, race and ethnicity, and child assigned sex at birth with 501 women who delivered before 11 March 2020. Participants reported on perceived stress, depressive symptoms, sedentary behavior, and emotional support during pregnancy. Infant gestational age (GA) at birth and birthweight were gathered from medical record abstraction or maternal report. RESULTS After adjusting for propensity matching and covariates (maternal education, public assistance, employment status, prepregnancy body mass index), results showed a small effect of pandemic exposure on shorter GA at birth, but no effect on birthweight adjusted for GA. Women who were pregnant during the pandemic reported higher levels of prenatal stress and depressive symptoms, but neither mediated the association between pandemic exposure and GA. Sedentary behavior and emotional support were each associated with prenatal stress and depressive symptoms in opposite directions, but no moderation effects were revealed. CONCLUSIONS There was no strong evidence for an association between pandemic exposure and adverse birth outcomes. Furthermore, results highlight the importance of reducing maternal sedentary behavior and encouraging emotional support for optimizing maternal health regardless of pandemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison E. Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Irene Tung
- Department of Psychology, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, USA
| | - Phillip Sherlock
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiaodan Tang
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kim McKee
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Monica McGrath
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Tracy Bastain
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Whitney Cowell
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Assiamira Ferrera
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Julie B. Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christine W. Hockett
- Department of Pediatrics, Avera Research Institute, South Dakota School of Medicine, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Kate Keenan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert T. Krafty
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Catherine Monk
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sara S. Nozadi
- Community Environmental Health Program, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Thomas G. O'Connor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah S. Osmundson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Susan Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - Sarah S. Comstock
- Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Xia M, Yan R, Kim MH, Xu X. Tet Enzyme-Mediated Response in Environmental Stress and Stress-Related Psychiatric Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:1594-1608. [PMID: 36534335 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03168-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders caused by stress have become a worldwide public health problem. These mental disorders are often the results of a combination of genes and environment, in which epigenetic modifications play a crucial role. At present, the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of mental disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder or depression caused by environmental stress are not entirely clear. Although many epigenetic modifications affect gene regulation, the most well-known modification in eukaryotic cells is the DNA methylation of CpG islands. Stress causes changes in DNA methylation in the brain to participate in the neuronal function or mood-modulating behaviors, and these epigenetic modifications can be passed on to offspring. Ten-eleven translocation (Tet) enzymes are the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) hydroxylases of DNA, which recognize 5mC on the DNA sequence and oxidize it to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). Tet regulates gene expression at the transcriptional level through the demethylation of DNA. This review will elaborate on the molecular mechanism and the functions of Tet enzymes in environmental stress-related disorders and discuss future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Xia
- Departments of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou City, 215006, China.,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul City, 03080, Korea
| | - Rui Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China
| | - Myoung-Hwan Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul City, 03080, Korea.
| | - Xingshun Xu
- Departments of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou City, 215006, China. .,Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China.
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Effects of choline supplementation in mothers with hypothyroidism on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression changes in pre-pubertal offspring rats. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:2351-2356. [PMID: 36577834 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08014-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroid hormones play a vital function in the maturation in the course of mind development. Regarding the well-known effects of choline on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the study examined the effects of choline on hippocampal BDNF gene expression in maternal hypothyroidism rats. METHODS AND RESULTS To induce the hypothyroidism, 6-propyl-2-thiouracil was introduced to the ingesting water from the sixth day of gestation to twenty-first postnatal day (PND). Choline-treatment started twice a day on the first day of gestation until PND 21. On PND28, pups were sacrificed. The expression of BDNF gene was evaluated after the hippocampus was harvested. Our results demonstrated that both male and female pre-pubertal offspring rats' BDNF gene expression was decreased by developmental hypothyroidism. Choline increases the ratio of relative gene expression of BDNF in the hippocampus of males and females in the control/hypothyroidism group, especially in males. CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that maternal choline supplementation on the first day of gestation until PND 21 improves brain development and cognitive function in pre-pubertal offspring rats regarding control/hypothyroidism groups.
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Lazarides C, Moog NK, Verner G, Voelkle MC, Henrich W, Heim CM, Braun T, Wadhwa PD, Buss C, Entringer S. The association between history of prenatal loss and maternal psychological state in a subsequent pregnancy: an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study. Psychol Med 2023; 53:855-865. [PMID: 34127159 PMCID: PMC9975992 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal loss which occurs in approximately 20% of pregnancies represents a well-established risk factor for anxiety and affective disorders. In the current study, we examined whether a history of prenatal loss is associated with a subsequent pregnancy with maternal psychological state using ecological momentary assessment (EMA)-based measures of pregnancy-specific distress and mood in everyday life. METHOD This study was conducted in a cohort of N = 155 healthy pregnant women, of which N = 40 had a history of prenatal loss. An EMA protocol was used in early and late pregnancy to collect repeated measures of maternal stress and mood, on average eight times per day over a consecutive 4-day period. The association between a history of prenatal loss and psychological state was estimated using linear mixed models. RESULTS Compared to women who had not experienced a prior prenatal loss, women with a history of prenatal loss reported higher levels of pregnancy-specific distress in early as well as late pregnancy and also were more nervous and tired. Furthermore, in the comparison group pregnancy-specific distress decreased and mood improved from early to late pregnancy, whereas these changes across pregnancy were not evident in women in the prenatal loss group. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that prenatal loss in a prior pregnancy is associated with a subsequent pregnancy with significantly higher stress and impaired mood levels in everyday life across gestation. These findings have important implications for designing EMA-based ambulatory, personalized interventions to reduce stress during pregnancy in this high-risk group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Lazarides
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nora K. Moog
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Glenn Verner
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manuel C. Voelkle
- Faculty of Life Science, Department of Psychology, Psychological Research Methods, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christine M. Heim
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thorsten Braun
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pathik D. Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Patel I, Dev A. What is prenatal stress? A scoping review of how prenatal stress is defined and measured within the context of food insecurity, housing instability, and immigration in the United States. WOMEN'S HEALTH (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 19:17455057231191091. [PMID: 37596926 PMCID: PMC10440065 DOI: 10.1177/17455057231191091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress during pregnancy can lead to significant adverse outcomes for maternal mental health. Early evaluation of prenatal stress can help identify treatment needs and appropriate interventions. Disparities in the social determinants of health can contribute to stress, but what constitutes stress during pregnancy within the social determinants of health framework is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE To scope how prenatal stress is defined and measured among pregnant people exposed to three prominent social stressors in the United States: insecurity pertaining to food, housing, and immigration. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA We included all studies that focused on stress during pregnancy in the context of food insecurity, housing instability, and immigration, given their recent policy focus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing political discourse, in addition to their importance in American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG's) social determinants of health screening tool. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published between January 2012 and January 2022. CHARTING METHODS Using a piloted charting tool, we extracted relevant study information from the selected articles and analyzed the content pertaining to stress. RESULTS An initial search identified 1,023 articles, of which 24 met our inclusion criteria. None of the studies defined prenatal stress, and only one used the Prenatal Distress Questionnaire, a prenatal stress-specific tool to measure it. The Perceived Stress Scale was the most common instrument used in seven studies. Fifteen studies measured over 25 alternative exposures that researchers theorized were associated with stress, and 4 of the 15 studies did not explain the association between the measure and stress. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate a fundamental inconsistency in how prenatal stress is defined and measured in the context of social determinants of health, limiting the comparison of results across studies and the potential development of effective interventions to promote better maternal mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishani Patel
- Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - Alka Dev
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Hanover, IL, USA
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Becker M, Mayo JA, Phogat NK, Quaintance CC, Laborde A, King L, Gotlib IH, Gaudilliere B, Angst MS, Shaw GM, Stevenson DK, Aghaeepour N, Dhabhar FS. Deleterious and Protective Psychosocial and Stress-Related Factors Predict Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth. Am J Perinatol 2023; 40:74-88. [PMID: 34015838 PMCID: PMC11036409 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1729162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to: (1) Identify (early in pregnancy) psychosocial and stress-related factors that predict risk of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB, gestational age <37 weeks); (2) Investigate whether "protective" factors (e.g., happiness/social support) decrease risk; (3) Use the Dhabhar Quick-Assessment Questionnaire for Stress and Psychosocial Factors (DQAQ-SPF) to rapidly quantify harmful or protective factors that predict increased or decreased risk respectively, of PTB. STUDY DESIGN This is a prospective cohort study. Relative risk (RR) analyses investigated association between individual factors and PTB. Machine learning-based interdependency analysis (IDPA) identified factor clusters, strength, and direction of association with PTB. A nonlinear model based on support vector machines was built for predicting PTB and identifying factors that most strongly predicted PTB. RESULTS Higher levels of deleterious factors were associated with increased RR for PTB: General anxiety (RR = 8.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0,39.6), pain (RR = 5.7; CI = 1.7,17.0); tiredness/fatigue (RR = 3.7; CI = 1.09,13.5); perceived risk of birth complications (RR = 4; CI = 1.6,10.01); self-rated health current (RR = 2.6; CI = 1.0,6.7) and previous 3 years (RR = 2.9; CI = 1.1,7.7); and divorce (RR = 2.9; CI = 1.1,7.8). Lower levels of protective factors were also associated with increased RR for PTB: low happiness (RR = 9.1; CI = 1.25,71.5); low support from parents/siblings (RR = 3.5; CI = 0.9,12.9), and father-of-baby (RR = 3; CI = 1.1,9.9). These factors were also components of the clusters identified by the IDPA: perceived risk of birth complications (p < 0.05 after FDR correction), and general anxiety, happiness, tiredness/fatigue, self-rated health, social support, pain, and sleep (p < 0.05 without FDR correction). Supervised analysis of all factors, subject to cross-validation, produced a model highly predictive of PTB (AUROC or area under the receiver operating characteristic = 0.73). Model reduction through forward selection revealed that even a small set of factors (including those identified by RR and IDPA) predicted PTB. CONCLUSION These findings represent an important step toward identifying key factors, which can be assessed rapidly before/after conception, to predict risk of PTB, and perhaps other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Quantifying these factors, before, or early in pregnancy, could identify women at risk of delivering preterm, pinpoint mechanisms/targets for intervention, and facilitate the development of interventions to prevent PTB. KEY POINTS · Newly designed questionnaire used for rapid quantification of stress and psychosocial factors early during pregnancy.. · Deleterious factors predict increased preterm birth (PTB) risk.. · Protective factors predict decreased PTB risk..
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Becker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Jonathan A. Mayo
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Nisha K. Phogat
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Cecele C. Quaintance
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Ana Laborde
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Lucy King
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Ian H. Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Martin S. Angst
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - David K. Stevenson
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Firdaus S. Dhabhar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, Univ. of Miami, Miami, Florida
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Nazzari S, Grumi S, Biasucci G, Decembrino L, Fazzi E, Giacchero R, Magnani ML, Nacinovich R, Scelsa B, Spinillo A, Capelli E, Roberti E, Provenzi L. Maternal pandemic-related stress during pregnancy associates with infants' socio-cognitive development at 12 months: A longitudinal multi-centric study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284578. [PMID: 37068062 PMCID: PMC10109481 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal stress is a key risk factor for infants' development. Previous research has highlighted consequences for infants' socio-emotional and cognitive outcomes, but less is known for what regards socio-cognitive development. In this study, we report on the effects of maternal prenatal stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic on 12-month-old infants' behavioral markers of socio-cognitive development. METHODS Ninety infants and their mothers provided complete longitudinal data from birth to 12 months. At birth, mothers reported on pandemic-related stress during pregnancy. At infants' 12-month-age, a remote mother-infant interaction was videotaped: after an initial 2-min face-to-face episode, the experimenter remotely played a series of four auditory stimuli (2 human and 2 non-human sounds). The auditory stimuli sequence was counterbalanced among participants and each sound was repeated three times every 10 seconds (Exposure, 30 seconds) while mothers were instructed not to interact with their infants and to display a neutral still-face expression. Infants' orienting, communication, and pointing toward the auditory source was coded micro-analytically and a socio-cognitive score (SCS) was obtained by means of a principal component analysis. RESULTS Infants equally oriented to human and non-human auditory stimuli. All infants oriented toward the sound during the Exposure episode, 80% exhibited any communication directed to the auditory source, and 48% showed at least one pointing toward the sound. Mothers who reported greater prenatal pandemic-related stress had infants with higher probability of showing no communication, t = 2.14 (p = .035), or pointing, t = 1.93 (p = .057). A significant and negative linear association was found between maternal prenatal pandemic-related stress and infants' SCS at 12 months, R2 = .07 (p = .010), while adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic might have increased the risk of an altered socio-cognitive development in infants as assessed through an observational paradigm at 12 months. Special preventive attention should be devoted to infants born during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Grumi
- Developmental Psychobiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Biasucci
- Pediatrics & Neonatology Unit, Ospedale Guglielmo da Saliceto, Piacenza, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Fazzi
- Department of Clinical And Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- Unit of Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - Renata Nacinovich
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori Monza, Monza, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), Università Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Scelsa
- Unit of Pediatric Neurology, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Arsenio Spinillo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Capelli
- Developmental Psychobiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisa Roberti
- Developmental Psychobiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Developmental Psychobiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Galley JD, Mashburn-Warren L, Blalock LC, Lauber CL, Carroll JE, Ross KM, Hobel C, Coussons-Read M, Dunkel Schetter C, Gur TL. Maternal anxiety, depression and stress affects offspring gut microbiome diversity and bifidobacterial abundances. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 107:253-264. [PMID: 36240906 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncovering mechanisms underlying fetal programming during pregnancy is of critical importance. Atypical neurodevelopment during the pre- and immediate postnatal period has been associated with long-term adverse health outcomes, including mood disorders and aberrant cognitive ability in offspring. Maternal factors that have been implicated in anomalous offspring development include maternal inflammation and tress, anxiety, and depression. One potential mechanism through which these factors perturb normal offspring postnatal development is through microbiome disruption. The mother is a primary source of early postnatal microbiome seeding for the offspring, and the transference of a healthy microbiome is key in normal neurodevelopment. Since psychological stress, mood disorders, and inflammation have all been implicated in altering maternal microbiome community structure, passing on aberrant microbial communities to the offspring that may then affect developmental outcomes. Therefore, we examined how maternal stress, anxiety and depression assessed with standardized instruments, and maternal inflammatory cytokine levels in the pre- and postnatal period are associated with the offspring microbiome within the first 13 months of life, utilizing full length 16S sequencing on infant stool samples, that allowed for species-level resolution. Results revealed that infants of mothers who reported higher anxiety and perceived stress had reduced alpha diversity. Additionally, the relative taxonomic quantitative abundances of Bifidobacterium dentium and other species that have been associated with either modulation of the gut-brain axis, or other beneficial health outcomes, were reduced in the offspring of mothers with higher anxiety, perceived stress, and depression. We also found associations between bifidobacteria and prenatal maternal pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10. In summary, specific microbial taxa involved in maintaining proper brain and immune function are lower in offspring born to mothers with anxiety, depression, or stress, providing strong evidence for a mechanism by which maternal factors may affect offspring health through microbiota dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Galley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Lexie C Blalock
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christian L Lauber
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Judith E Carroll
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kharah M Ross
- Center for Social Sciences, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
| | - Calvin Hobel
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mary Coussons-Read
- Department of Psychology, The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
| | | | - Tamar L Gur
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Császár-Nagy N, Bókkon I. Hypnotherapy and IBS: Implicit, long-term stress memory in the ENS? Heliyon 2022; 9:e12751. [PMID: 36685398 PMCID: PMC9849985 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12751] [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: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychiatric and mood disorders may be more fundamental than was previously believed. Prenatal, perinatal, postnatal, and early-age conditions can have a key role in the development of IBS. Subthreshold mental disorders (SMDs) could also be a significant source of countless diverse diseases and may be a cause of IBS development. We hypothesize that stress-induced implicit memories may persist throughout life by epigenetic processes in the enteric nervous system (ENS). These stress-induced implicit memories may play an essential role in the emergence and maintenance of IBS. In recent decades, numerous studies have proven that hypnosis can improve the primary symptoms of IBS and also reduce noncolonic symptoms such as anxiety and depression and improve quality of life and cognitive function. These significant beneficial effects of hypnosis on IBS may be because hypnosis allows access to unconscious brain processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Császár-Nagy
- National University of Public Services, Budapest, Hungary,Psychosomatic Outpatient Clinics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - I. Bókkon
- Psychosomatic Outpatient Clinics, Budapest, Hungary,Vision Research Institute, Neuroscience and Consciousness Research Department, Lowell, MA, USA,Corresponding author. H-1238, Budapest, Láng Endre 68, Hungary.
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48
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Nolvi S, Merz EC, Kataja EL, Parsons CE. Prenatal Stress and the Developing Brain: Postnatal Environments Promoting Resilience. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:942-952. [PMID: 36870895 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Heightened maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with atypical brain development and an elevated risk for psychopathology in offspring. Supportive environments during early postnatal life may promote brain development and reverse atypical developmental trajectories induced by prenatal stress. We reviewed studies focused on the role of key early environmental factors in moderating associations between prenatal stress exposure and infant brain and neurocognitive outcomes. Specifically, we focused on the associations between parental caregiving quality, environmental enrichment, social support, and socioeconomic status with infant brain and neurocognitive outcomes. We examined the evidence that these factors may moderate the effects of prenatal stress on the developing brain. Complementing findings from translational models, human research suggests that high-quality early postnatal environments are associated with indices of infant neurodevelopment that have also been associated with prenatal stress, such as hippocampal volume and frontolimbic connectivity. Human studies also suggest that maternal sensitivity and higher socioeconomic status may attenuate the effects of prenatal stress on established neurocognitive and neuroendocrine mediators of risk for psychopathology, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Biological pathways that may underlie the effects of positive early environments on the infant brain, including the epigenome, oxytocin, and inflammation, are also discussed. Future research in humans should examine resilience-promoting processes in relation to infant brain development using large sample sizes and longitudinal designs. The findings from this review could be incorporated into clinical models of risk and resilience during the perinatal period and used to design more effective early programs that reduce risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Nolvi
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Emily C Merz
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Christine E Parsons
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Interacting Minds Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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49
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Chang K, Zeng N, Ding Y, Zhao X, Gao C, Li Y, Wang H, Liu X, Niu Y, Sun Y, Li T, Shi Y, Wu C, Li Z. Cinnamaldehyde causes developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish via the oxidative stress pathway that is rescued by astaxanthin. Food Funct 2022; 13:13028-13039. [PMID: 36449017 DOI: 10.1039/d2fo02309a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Toxicology studies provide a reliable dose range for the use of compounds. Zebrafish show unique advantages in toxicology research. Cinnamaldehyde (Cin) is one of the main active compounds isolated from Cinnamon trees and other species of the genus Cinnamomum. In this study, we investigated the developmental neurotoxicity of cinnamaldehyde in zebrafish and preliminarily explored its underlying mechanism. Cinnamaldehyde causes developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish, as evidenced by the damage to ventricular structures, eye malformations, shortened body length, trunk curvature, decreased neuronal fluorescence, and pericardial oedema. Moreover, it can induce abnormal behaviour and gene expression in zebrafish. After treatment with the oxidative stress inhibitor astaxanthin, the behaviour and abnormal gene expression were reversed. All of these data demonstrated that the developmental neurotoxicity of cinnamaldehyde might be attributed to oxidative stress. In addition, this study also confirmed that zebrafish is a reliable model for toxicity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihui Chang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Nan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yonghe Ding
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Xiangzhong Zhao
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Chengwen Gao
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Yafang Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Haoxu Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yujuan Niu
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Yuanchao Sun
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Teng Li
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Yongyong Shi
- The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Chuanhong Wu
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Biomedical Sciences Institute of Qingdao University (Qingdao Branch of SJTU Bio-X Institutes) & the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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50
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Horan H, Cheyney M, Torres EG, Eick G, Bovbjerg M, Snodgrass JJ. Maternal hair cortisol concentrations across pregnancy and the early postpartum period in a Puerto Rican sample. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23718. [PMID: 35001460 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hair cortisol is a noninvasive, long-term biomarker of human stress. Strengths and weaknesses of this biomarker as a proxy measure of perinatal stress are not yet well understood. Hair cortisol data were collected from pregnant women in Puerto Rico to investigate maternal cortisol level variance across pregnancy. METHODS In 2017, we recruited 86 pregnant women planning to birth at a large urban hospital. We aimed to collect four hair samples from each participant, one in each trimester and one in the postpartum period. RESULTS Median cortisol in the first trimester (n = 82) was 5.7 picograms/milligram (pg/mg) (range: 1.0-62.4). In the second, third, and postpartum periods, the medians were 6.8 pg/mg (1.0-69.5), (n = 46), 20.1 pg/mg (5.6-89.0), (n = 30), and 14.1 pg/mg (1.7-39.8), (n = 9), respectively. These medians disguise a 10-fold and 50-fold variability for two participants. Our sample sizes declined sharply when Hurricane Maria caused major disruptions in services and participants' lives. CONCLUSION Maternal hair cortisol concentrations were lower in the first and second trimester than the third trimester and early postpartum period. We also observed a wide range of variation in cortisol levels throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Horan
- Department of Anthropology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.,Department of Anthropology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Melissa Cheyney
- Department of Anthropology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Geeta Eick
- Department of Anthropology, Global Health Biomarker Laboratory, University of Oregon, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Marit Bovbjerg
- Epidemiology Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - James Josh Snodgrass
- Department of Anthropology, Global Health Biomarker Laboratory, University of Oregon, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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