Document Detail


Maternal laboratory stress influences fetal neurobehavior: cortisol does not provide all answers.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20298130     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: Maternal stress can have an impact on pregnancy. However, effects on fetal neurobehavior are not well understood. In this study, the effect of laboratory stress on maternal psychoneuroendocrinological response and on fetal neurobehavior was studied. Serum cortisol as a potential underlying mechanism was measured. METHODS: Twenty-seven women made a single 1.5-h visit in their third trimester. The laboratory stressor involved an arithmetic task. Associations between maternal laboratory stress response and fetal neurobehavior were analyzed by studying 19 maternal-fetal dyads with high signal quality cardiotocograms. RESULTS: Stress exposure changed participants stress perception (p < 0.0001). However, only half of the participants (responders) had an HPA-axis response. Fetuses responded to the stress exposure depending on their mothers' stress response: (i) there was a fetal heart rate (FHR) group effect at the level of trend (p = 0.06). Fetuses of responders had higher HR levels 20 min after the exposure (p = 0.043), (ii) there were interaction (p = 0.026) and group effects at the level of trend (p = 0.078) found for FHR short-term variation (STV). Fetuses of responders had lower FHR STV 20 min after stress exposure (p = 0.007). Cortisol as a potential underlying mechanism only seemed to be associated with short- and long-term variation of FHR. CONCLUSIONS: An activation of the maternal stress-system could result in a child being born having a history of responding to maternal stress.
Authors:
Nadine Stephanie Fink; Corinne Urech; Christoph Tobias Berger; Irene Hoesli; Wolfgang Holzgreve; Johannes Bitzer; Judith Alder
Publication Detail:
Type:  Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians     Volume:  23     ISSN:  1476-4954     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Matern. Fetal. Neonatal. Med.     Publication Date:  2010 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-14     Completed Date:  2010-09-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101136916     Medline TA:  J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  488-500     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital, Child Development Unit, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. nadine.fink@childrens.harvard.edu
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Behavior / physiology
Cardiotocography
Clinical Laboratory Techniques
Female
Fetus / physiology*
Heart Rate, Fetal / physiology
Humans
Hydrocortisone / blood,  metabolism,  physiology*
Maternal-Fetal Exchange / physiology
Mental Processes / physiology*
Mothers / psychology*
Pregnancy
Stress, Psychological / blood,  physiopathology*
Young Adult
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
50-23-7/Hydrocortisone

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Age at first prosthetic fitting and later functional outcome in children and young adults with unila...
Next Document:  Valproate semisodium ER for migraine and cluster headache prophylaxis.