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Maternal stress (MS) during gestation is known to increase the risk for the development of behavioural and physiological disorders and advances cellular aging. In this study, we investigated whether the supplementation of standardized Bacopa monnieri extract (CDRI-08/BME) or l-Carnosine (L-C) to the mother exposed to social stress during gestation modify the effect on their offspring's neurobehaviour, antioxidant defence gene expression, telomere length, and telomere biology. To test this, timed pregnant rats were subjected to social stress during the gestational day (GD) 16–18. A subset of stressed pregnant rats received either BME [80 mg/kg in 0.5% gum acacia (per-orally; p.o)] or L-C [1 mg/kg (p.o)] every day from GD-10 to until their pup's attained postnatal day (PND)-23. We observed that MS induced anxiety-like behaviour, altered inter-limb coordination, antioxidant defence genes [Superoxide dismutase (SOD1,2), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase-3 (GPX3)], telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), shelterin complex subunits (TRF1, RAP1B, POT1) protein level and shorten telomere length. Notably, supplementation of BME/L-C dampens the MS, thus the effect on neurobehaviour, antioxidant defence gene expression, and telomere biology is minimized in their offspring. Together, our results suggest that supplementation of BME/L-C during gestation dampens the MS and reduced oxidative stress-mediated changes in telomere shortening/biology and associated neurobehaviour in offspring born following MS.

In utero exposure to maternal stress, anxiety, and depression has been associated with reduced cortical thickness (CT), and CT changes, in turn, to adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes. Here, we investigated global and regional (G/RCT) changes associated with fetal exposure to maternal psychological distress in 265 brain MRI studies from 177 healthy fetuses of low-risk pregnant women. GCT was measured from cortical gray matter (CGM) voxels; RCT was estimated from 82 cortical regions. GCT and RCT in 87% of regions strongly correlated with GA. Fetal exposure was most strongly associated with RCT in the parahippocampal region, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and supramarginal gyrus suggesting that cortical alterations commonly associated with prenatal exposure could emerge in-utero. However, we note that while regional fetal brain involvement conformed to patterns observed in newborns and children exposed to prenatal maternal psychological distress, the reported associations did not survive multiple comparisons correction. This could be because the effects are more subtle in this early developmental window or because majority of the pregnant women in our study did not experience high levels of maternal distress. It is our hope that the current findings will spur future hypothesis-driven studies that include a full spectrum of maternal mental health scores.

Background: Latina mothers' stress is associated with their children's health behaviors and risk for obesity; however, existing pediatric health promotion programs have not focused on maternal stress reduction. Methods: Herein we describe a study design that will examine the acceptability and feasibility of Calma, Conversa, y Cría (CCC) a 6-week mindful parenting intervention designed to reduce stress. We present the results of qualitative research with Latina mothers and experts in Latinx health and mindfulness who provided culturally-relevant feedback on existing mindful parenting strategies to inform the development of CCC. Fifty Latina mothers of children ages 3–11 years will be randomly assigned to CCC or an enhanced usual care health education intervention. Acceptability will be assessed through participant satisfaction surveys and exit interviews. Feasibility will be determined through detailed tracking of recruitment, retention, and attendance rates. A signal regarding any group differences in maternal stress, health-related parenting practices, child diet, child physical activity, and child quality of life will be explored. Discussion: The development of interventions that can reduce maternal stress and risk for obesity in Latinx children is critical to significantly reduce negative health impacts in this underserved population. Our approach includes the identification of effective cultural adaptations that should improve the feasibility and acceptability of mindful parenting strategies in Latinx families, ideally reducing maternal stress and improving parenting behaviors related to child health. If successful, CCC will be examined in a larger efficacy trial involving the measurement of objective biomarkers of children's chronic disease risk.

The effectiveness of parenting on child outcomes may be dependent on other contextual factors. To date, few studies have focused on the potential moderating effect of maternal stress on the relationship between parenting and youth externalizing behaviors. This study extends prior work by assessing how the relationship between parenting and youth outcomes varies by the presence of maternal stress, while focusing on the developmental period of adolescence and two dimensions of parenting, parental knowledge and maternal warmth. Data were collected from 278 Mother-adolescent dyads (Madolescent age = 14.05; 53.2% females; 61.9% minority) on maternal stress, maternal warmth and parental knowledge, and youth aggression and delinquency. Multi-level regression models found significant two-way interactions between parental knowledge and maternal stress on aggression and between maternal warmth and maternal stress on both outcomes. Parental knowledge was associated with lower aggression in the context of high maternal stress, but warmth only attenuated the risk of youth outcomes among low maternal stress. This study highlights the importance of considering how contextual factors impact the relationship between parenting and youth externalizing behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Parenting a child with special health care needs (SHCN) is often stressful. This study aimed to measure and compare stress among mothers of children with (a) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - ASD group, (b) Developmental delay without ASD group, (c) SHCN without developmental delay group, and (d) Typically developing group. To assess factors associated with maternal stress in children with developmental disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was performed with children aged 2–12 years and their mothers. The study population was classified into four groups as defined above help of detailed history, developmental & behavioral assessments, psychological assessments, and Child Special Health Care Needs Screener (CSHCN). Parental Stress Scale (PSS) Questionnaire was administered. The main outcome measurement was the PSS and various factors affecting it. RESULTS: The mothers of the ASD group reported a high stress score (50.4±11.4) compared to SHCN without developmental delay group (38.2±8.8) and the Typically developing group (22.3±3.3) (p < 0.05) and higher but not significant stress than Developmental delay without ASD group (45.3±9.6, p > 0.05). Maladaptive behavioral issues and irregular interventions were the factors contributing to higher parental stress in the ASD group (p < 0.05). A moderate positive correlation was observed in rewarding and challenging scores of PSS among mothers of the ASD group, Developmental delay without ASD group, and SHCN without developmental delay group. CONCLUSION: Mothers of the ASD group perceived higher stress as compared to SHCN without developmental delay group and Typically developing group. Evaluation of stress and stressors is crucial for holistic management of ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and environmental changes have been described as the biggest global health threat of the 21st century, with the potential to cause immediate harm in early life with important lifelong effects, and important consequences for future generations. Pregnant women and children are increasingly being recognized as vulnerable populations in the context of climate change. The effects can be direct or indirect through heat stress, extreme weather events, and air pollution, potentially affecting both the immediate and long-term health of pregnant women and newborns through a broad range of mechanisms. Climate and environmental changes have wide-ranging effects on a woman's reproductive life including sexual maturation and fertility, pregnancy outcomes, lactation, breastfeeding, and menopause. A comprehensive overview of these impacts is presented as well as opportunities for interventions for nurses practicing in perinatal, neonatal, midwifery, and pediatric specialties. Climate and environmental changes have been described as the biggest global health threat of the 21st century, with the potential to cause harm and significant consequences for future generations. Effects can be direct or indirect through heat stress, extreme weather events and air pollution, potentially affecting both the immediate and long-term health of pregnant women and newborns through a broad range of mechanisms. A comprehensive overview of these effects is presented as well as opportunities for interventions for maternal child health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mothers of special needs children in Pakistan, and across the world, are marginalized populations facing combined challenges of social shame and policy neglect. This study aims to (i) investigate the prevalence of and relationship between maternal stress, social support, and health quality of life in mothers with special needs children and (ii) identify the moderating effects of social support on maternal stress and health quality of life. Methods: A total of 103 mothers of special needs children attending government special needs schools in Pakistan have been sampled from the cities of Gujranwala and Lahore, the fifth and second largest cities of the country. A cross-sectional survey has been used for data collection, compiled from three standardized international tools: The World Health Organization Quality of Life; The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales; and the Parental Stress Scale. Special needs children have been used to perform hierarchal multiple regression. Results: Mothers of special needs children in the country face high levels of stress, receive low levels of social support, and perceive unsatisfactory health quality of life. Social support predicted health quality of life (β=0.286, p <.01) and was a moderator for the relationship between maternal stress and health quality of life (ΔR²=0.003, ΔF=1.463, p < .05). Conclusion: Policy development and interventions are needed through a four-track approach including reformation in cultural values to improve social support; state provision for financial relief; opportunities for education and employment for special needs children; and improvement in healthcare service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives: describe the frequency of maternal stress and psychic risk indicators in newborns who were exposed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after hospital discharge. Methods: observational, analytical, cohort study, sample of 26 participants (13 exposed and 13 not exposed to the NICU). Maternal stress was assessed by Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL) (Lipp’s Stress Symptoms Inventory for Adults) and psychological risk by Indicadores Clínicos de Risco para o Desenvolvimento Infantil (IRDI) (Clinical Risk Indicators for Child Development), 15 days after hospital discharge and at 4 months of corrected age. Results: the study found a frequency of stress of 23.1% in mothers of newborns who were exposed to NICUs and 38.5% of psychological risk in these newborns. The following associations were found: maternal stress and newborn exposure to the NICU (p=0.037); maternal stress and newborn exposure time to NICU (p=0.031); psychological risk and prematurity (p=0.014). There were no association between psychic risk and maternal stress; and there was no diference in the frequency of psychological risk between the groups of newborns. Conclusions: newborn hospitalization in the NICU is associated with maternal stress, but not with psychological risk. Prematurity can cause psychological risk. Maternal stress was not associated with psychological risk.

Abstract Background Early sleep problems co-occur with crying, eating problems, and parental distress. This study investigates the impact of a parent-focused intervention to improve child sleep with the following aims: (1) To assess the impact on child sleep (sleep onset latency, frequency and duration of nighttime awakenings, frequency of bed-sharing, and nighttime food intake, total nighttime sleep duration, and sleep efficiency), child crying (frequency of crying episodes, of unexplained and unsoothable crying and of crying out of defiance), child eating difficulties, and parental distress of mothers and fathers. (2) To assess the maintenance of any changes in these areas longitudinally, at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups. (3) To explore at the within-subjects level, how children’s sleep, crying, eating, and parental distress changed together across all study measurement points. Methods In this single-arm pilot study, the parents of 60 children participated in six individual sessions of a parent-focused multimodal age-adjusted cognitive-behavioral intervention to improve child sleep. Parents of 39 children (46% girls, age in months M = 22.41, SD = 12.43) completed pre- and at least one measure after the intervention. Sleep diary, questionnaire for crying, feeding, sleeping, and parental stress index (short-form) were assessed pre, post, three, six, and 12 months after the intervention. Results Significantly, sleep (decreased sleep onset latency, frequency, duration of nighttime awakenings, bed-sharing, nighttime food intake; increased total nighttime sleep duration, sleep efficiency), crying (reduced frequency of crying episodes, unexplained and unsoothable crying), and parental distress (reduced) changed, which remained partially stable over follow-up. The frequency of crying episodes decreased with fewer nighttime awakenings; morning crying with increased nighttime feeding; unexplained and unsoothable crying with higher sleep efficiency; crying due to defiance with more nighttime awakenings, sleep efficiency, and bed-sharing. Eating problems decreased with shorter night awakenings and time; maternal distress with fewer nighttime awakenings, paternal with less child’s nighttime feeding, unexplained and unsoothable crying, and time. Conclusions A parental sleep intervention for sleep-disturbed young children could be promising to reduce children’s sleep problems, crying, eating problems and parental distress. Future studies should consider more personal contact during the follow-up to reduce the drop-out rate and a randomized-controlled design. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (ID: DRKS00028578, registration date: 21.03.2022).

Adverse experiences in the perinatal period have been associated with the methylation of the human glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and long-term diseases. We conducted a systematic review on the association between adversities in the perinatal period and DNA methylation in the 1 F region of the NR3C1 gene in newborns. We explored the MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Scielo, and Lilacs databases without time or language limitations. Two independent reviewers performed the selection of articles and data extraction. A third participated in the methodological quality assessment and consensus meetings at all stages. Finally, ten studies were selected. Methodological quality was considered moderate in six and low in four. Methylation changes were reported in 41 of the 47 CpG sites of exon 1 F. Six studies addressed maternal conditions during pregnancy: two reported methylation changes at the same sites (CpG 10, 13, 20, 21 and 47), and four at one or more sites from CpG 35 to 39. Four studies addressed neonatal parameters and morbidities: methylation changes at the same sites 4, 8, 10, 16, 25, and 35 were reported in two. Hypermethylation associated with stressful conditions prevailed. Hypomethylation was more often associated with protective conditions (maternal-foetal attachment during pregnancy, breast milk intake, higher birth weight or Apgar). In conclusion, methylation changes in several sites of the 1 F region of the NR3C1 gene in newborns and very young infants were associated with perinatal stress, but more robust and comparable results are needed to corroborate site-specific associations.

Objective: To capture multidimensional maternal psychosocial stress using responses from the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) administered during pregnancy, and to identify sociodemographic, biological, and health behavioral correlates of the stress domains. Methods: Using data from 1,079 pregnant women, we implemented principal component analysis on EPDS and PSS responses and retained factors based on the Scree plot and Eigenvalues >1. We then used linear regression to identify perinatal correlates of each domain. Results: We identified three stress domains: ?Feeling Overwhelmed,? ?Anhedonia,? and ?Lack of Control,? which accounted for 10.6% of variance in questionnaire responses. In multivariable analyses, household income ?$70,000 (??=?0.21 confidence interval [95% CI: 0.05?0.39]), primiparity (0.36 [0.02?0.71]), inadequate (0.21 [0.04?0.39]) or excessive gestational weight gain (0.27 [0.11?0.42]), and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score ?57 (0.14 [0.00?0.28]) were associated with Feeling Overwhelmed. Older age (0.02 [0.00?0.03] per 1-year), Hispanic ethnicity (0.19 [0.00?0.38]), and HEI score ?57 (0.15 [0.02?0.28]) were associated with Anhedonia. Non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity (0.37 [0.10?0.63]), not having graduated from college (0.16 [?0.02 to 0.35]), having a partner born outside the United States (0.17 [?0.02 to 0.37]), household size of ?5 persons (0.21 [?0.02 to 0.37]), receiving public assistance (0.18 [?0.02 to 0.37]), and prenatal smoking (0.32 [0.05?0.59]) were associated with Lack of Control. Conclusions: Three domains of maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy (Feeling Overwhelmed, Anhedonia, and Lack of Control) were differentially related to sociodemographic, biological, and health behavioral characteristics that may be targets for interventions to ameliorate stress in pregnant women. Clinical Trial Registry: The Healthy Start study is registered as an observational study at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT #002273297).

Introduction: Neonatal intensive care causes high maternal stress, and low interaction between mother and baby are suspected to be a stressor. The role of the mother needed to participate in neonatal care. However, mothers want to monitor the condition of neonates during treatment. This purpose of study to analyze the correlation between family center care, stress and maternal satisfaction in the Edelweiss (Perinatology) at RSD Balung Jember. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 post partum mothers whose babies were treated in the perinatology room with consecutive random sampling. Family center care, stress, and maternal satisfaction questionnaires were used. A Chi-square test was used to analyze to answer the research Results: The results among respondents had high levels of family centered care implementation (63.7%), low maternal stress (51.6%), and high levels of maternal satisfaction (58.1%). There is a correlation between between family centered care implementation with maternal stress (X2 = 8.14; p-value = 0.004), and stress with maternal satisfaction (X2 = 19.3; p-value = 0.00). Mothers with high levels of family centered care implementation will prevent 0.2 times experiencing stress (OR = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.07-0.38), and if maternal satisfaction is high then 3 times will tend to have low stress (OR = 2.89; 95% CI = 1.38-6.06). However, there isn’t correlation between family centered care implementation and satisfaction mother (X2 = 0.83; p-value = 0.36). Perhaps, maternal characteristics to be a factor. Conculusion: Family center care services can meet the needs of parents and improve the quality of nursing care in the perinatology room for babies, parents and families so as to increase satisfaction with the services provided.

Experiences of major, stressful life events (SLE) prior to and during pregnancy, and in early childhood, are associated with a range of adverse outcomes that disproportionately impact Indigenous women and their families. However, little is known about Indigenous women's experiences of SLE. The aim of this study was to investigate: (1) inequities in the prevalence and patterning of SLE between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mothers over time, and; (2) associations between maternal SLE and ethnicity, age, socioeconomic deprivation and time. Data were from the Moe Kura prospective cohort study of 418 Indigenous Māori and 768 non-Māori women in New Zealand. Questionnaires were completed at 35–37 weeks gestation, 12-weeks postpartum, and when their child was 3–4 years of age. The prevalence of five SLE domains was estimated by ethnicity. Generalised linear mixed effects models examined associations between SLE domains and ethnicity, age, socioeconomic deprivation, and time. The prevalence of SLE was greater for Māori than non-Māori at each time point. The probability of reporting SLE increased as neighbourhood deprivation worsened. The probability of reporting SLE reduced with older age, although changes in the estimates were greater for non-Māori than Māori women. Findings show that Indigenous women experience persistent and significant inequities in SLE. Younger maternal age and greater socioeconomic deprivation explain some but not all of the inequities observed. Policies and interventions to address how colonialism and racism structure experiences of SLE for Indigenous women, including via socioeconomic deprivation, are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the effect of family integrated care (FICare) on maternal stress in preterm infants with traditional non‐parent neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care. Methods: We continuously enrolled mothers and their preterm infants from two NICUs between August 2014 and April 2017; while one NICU applied the FICare model (FICare group) and the other performed standard non‐parent care model (control group). Maternal stress was evaluated by the Parental Stress Scale: NICU (PSS: NICU) on admission and right before the discharge. A generalized linear model to adjust for potential confounders. Subgroup analysis was also performed for comparisons between two groups. Results: A total of 215 mothers with preterm infants were included in this study, among whom 118 (54.88%) were in FICare group and 97 (45.12%) were in control group. The mean PSS: NICU score was 117.36 ± 26.27 on admission with no difference between two groups. Before being discharged home, the PSS: NICU score of parents in both groups was significantly reduced, with the score of FICare group was significantly lower than that of control group. In all sub‐domains of PSS: NICU score as sights and sounds, baby looks and behavior score, and parental role, the scores of FICare group were significantly lower than control group. Conclusions: There was a simultaneous decrease of maternal stress for NICU preterm infants. FICare further facilitates reducing the maternal stress. It shall be encouraged to apply FICare model in NICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFC) are among the most common congenital malformations. Several studies have investigated the association between stress and NSOFC; however, they have reported different and heterogeneous results. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to investigate the association between maternal periconceptional stress and non-syndromic orofacial clefts in infants. The research question was "Is maternal periconceptional stress an etiological factor for non-syndromic orofacial clefts in infants"? Search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data extraction from studies reporting periconceptional maternal exposure to stress and NSOFC were implemented without language restrictions. The risks of bias in the identified studies was assessed, and this information was used in the sensitivity analyses to explain heterogeneity. A meta -analysis of the extracted data was performed. Twelve eligible studies were included. Forest plot for meta -analysis of the association between maternal periconceptional exposure to stress and NSOFC among studies with adjustment for potential confounders showed a statistically significant association with an increased risk of NSOFC (odds ratio [OR]:1.17; P = 0.03), which was apparent for both cleft lip with and without palate (OR:2.07; P = 0.007) and cleft palate (OR:1.72; P = 0.003). There was a substantial heterogeneity between studies, which improved when analyzing only studies that were adjusted for potential confounders. Based on the currently available evidence, maternal exposure to periconceptional stress could be considered a risk factor for NSOFCs. Therefore, we strongly recommend research investigating the effect of stress caused by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on the incidence of clefts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prenatal stress (PS) is considered as a risk factor for many mental disorders. PS-induced transcriptomic alterations may contribute to the functional dysregulation during brain development. Here, we used RNA-seq to explore changes of gene expression in the mouse fetal brain after prenatal exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Results: We compared the stressed brains to the controls and identified groups of significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO analysis on up-regulated DEGs revealed enrichment for the cell cycle pathways, while down-regulated DEGs were mostly enriched in the neuronal pathways related to synaptic transmission. We further performed cell-type enrichment analysis using published scRNA-seq data from the fetal mouse brain and revealed cell-type-specificity for up- and down-regulated DEGs, respectively. The up-regulated DEGs were highly enriched in the radial glia, while down-regulated DEGs were enriched in different types of neurons. Cell deconvolution analysis further showed altered cell fractions in the stressed brain, indicating accumulation of neuroblast and impaired neurogenesis. Moreover, we also observed distinct brain-region expression pattern when mapping DEGs onto the developing Allen brain atlas. The up-regulated DEGs were primarily enriched in the dorsal forebrain regions including the cortical plate and hippocampal formation. Surprisingly, down-regulated DEGs were found excluded from the cortical region, but highly expressed on various regions in the ventral forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. Conclusion: Taken together, we provided an unbiased data source for transcriptomic alterations of the whole fetal brain after chronic PS, and reported differential cell-type and brain-region vulnerability of the developing brain in response to environmental insults during the pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Chronic stress is a risk factor for preterm birth; however, objective measures of stress in pregnancy are limited. Maternal stress biomarkers may fill this gap. Steroid hormones and neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone (ALLO) play important roles in stress physiology and pregnancy maintenance and therefore may be promising for preterm birth prediction. Objective We evaluated maternal serum ALLO, progesterone, cortisol, cortisone, pregnanolone, and epipregnanolone twice in gestation to evaluate associations with preterm birth. Methods We performed a nested case-control study using biobanked fasting serum samples from the Healthy Start prebirth cohort. We included healthy women with a singleton pregnancy and matched preterm cases with term controls (1:1; N = 27 per group). We used a new HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry assay to quantify ALLO and five related steroids. We used ANOVA, Fisher exact, χ2, t test, and linear and logistic regression as statistical tests. Results Maternal serum ALLO did not associate with preterm birth nor differ between groups. Mean cortisol levels were significantly higher in the preterm group early in pregnancy (13w0d-18w0d; P < 0.05) and higher early pregnancy cortisol associated with increased odds of preterm birth (at 13w0d; odds ratio, 1.007; 95% CI, 1.0002-1.014). Progesterone, cortisone, pregnanolone, and epipregnanolone did not associate with preterm birth. Conclusion The findings from our pilot study suggest potential utility of cortisol as a maternal serum biomarker for preterm birth risk assessment in early pregnancy. Further evaluation using larger cohorts and additional gestational timepoints for ALLO and the other analytes may be informative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Cortisol, the stress hormone, is an important factor in initiating and maintaining lactation. Maternal suffering during pregnancy is predictive for the initiation and shorter duration of breastfeeding and can also lead to its termination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the level of salivary cortisol in the third trimester of pregnancy and the initiation of breastfeeding in the postpartum period in a cohort of young pregnant women who wanted to exclusively breastfeed their newborns during hospitalization. Materials and Methods: For the study, full-term pregnant women were recruited between January and May 2022 in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Mureș County Clinical Hospital. Socio-demographic, clinical obstetric and neonatal variables were collected. Breastfeeding efficiency was assessed using the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool at 24 and 48 h after birth. The mean value of the LATCH score assessed at 24 and 48 h of age was higher among mothers who had a higher mean value of salivary cortisol measured in the third trimester of pregnancy (p < 0.05). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to detect risk factors for the success of early breastfeeding initiation. Results: A quarter of pregnant women had a salivary cortisol level above normal limits during the third trimester of pregnancy. There is a statistically significant association between maternal smoking, alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the level of anxiety or depression. Conclusions: The most important finding of this study was that increased salivary cortisol in the last trimester of pregnancy was not associated with delayed initiation/absence of breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fetal autonomic nervous system (ANS) is believed to be negatively affected by maternal adverse emotional states. In this study, we evaluated how depression, anxiety and stress during pregnancy are related to fetal heart rate variability (HRV) as recorded with magnetocardiography (MCG). We also considered metabolic factors such as maternal adiposity and circulating levels of cortisol during gestation. Furthermore, we followed up these fetuses after birth, recording HRV and saliva levels of cortisol in these infants to establish any effects postpartum. Methods: We calculated HRV in spontaneous MCG recordings from 32 healthy fetuses between 32 and 38 weeks of gestational age. Maternal emotional state was assessed using standardized questionnaires about anxiety, depression and stress. An overall indicator of maternal well-being was calculated by z-scoring each individual questionnaire and summation. We used a median split to divide the group into high and low z-scores (HZS and LZS), respectively. Standard HRV measures were determined in the time and frequency domain. T-test analyses were performed between LZS and HZS, with the HRV and the metabolic measures as the dependent variables. Results: We found an impaired HRV in the HZS group both during pregnancy and after birth. No differences were observed between LZS and HZS for metabolic factors. Depression and anxiety symptoms seem to affect HRV differently. No relationship was found between maternal and infant cortisol levels. Conclusions: On the basis of our results on different HRV parameters, we propose that maternal emotional state might affect the development of the fetal nervous system in utero.

The ventricular septal defect (VSD) represents the most common congenital heart defect (CHD). The diagnosis of and cardiac surgery for their child’s VSD are highly stressful experiences for parents; especially mothers, who are at risk of developing long-lasting stress-related symptoms. This study examined long-term alterations in maternal stress including self-reported psychological and biophysiological stress levels in a case-control design. We investigated 24 mothers of children with an isolated, surgically corrected VSD compared to non-affected controls. Maternal self-reports on psychopathology, everyday stress, parenting stress and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were measured during children’s primary school age (6–9 years, t1) and early adolescence (10–14 years, t2). In maternal self-reports, psychopathology and stress symptoms in the VSD-group and controls were comparable at t1, whereas at t2, mothers in the VSD-group even showed a decrease in psychopathology. Maternal HCC levels in the VSD-group were significantly lower (hypocortisolism) than HCC levels of controls at t1. This effect was no longer observed at t2 reflecting an approximation of HCC levels in the VSD-group to controls’ levels. This study highlights the potential for improved stress hormone balance and psychological well-being in mothers following their child’s surgical VSD repair. However, the need for parent-centered interventions is discussed, particularly during peri-operative phases and in early child developmental stages.

Abstract Background Premature birth is the leading cause of neonatal death and can cause major morbidity. Maximising the amount of maternal breastmilk given to very premature infants is important to improve outcomes, but this can be challenging for parents. Parents of infants receiving neonatal care also have high rates of anxiety and distress. There is growing evidence for the impact of maternal relaxation interventions on lactation, as well as mental health. The trial will assess whether a brief self-directed relaxation and visualisation intervention, recommended for use several times a day during expression of milk, improves lactation and mental health outcomes for mothers of very premature infants. Methods Multi-centre, randomised, controlled, unmasked, parallel-group trial with planned 132 participants who have experienced premature birth between 23 weeks and 31 weeks and 6 days of gestation and plan to express milk for at least 14 days. The primary outcome is the highest 24-h expressed milk yield recorded on any of day 4, day 14 or day 21 after birth. Secondary outcomes include exclusive breastmilk feeding at 36 weeks post-menstrual age and at 4 months after the estimated date of delivery, Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Index at day 21 and Post-traumatic stress Check List (for DSM 5) at day 21. Discussion Breastmilk feeding for premature infants is an important research priority, but there are few randomised controlled trials assessing interventions to help parents reach lactation goals in this challenging context. This trial will assess whether a no cost, easily scalable relaxation tool has a role in this setting. Given the lack of harm and potential for immediate dissemination, even a small benefit could have an important global impact. Trial registration ISRCTN16356650 . Date assigned: 19/04/2021.

With the rapid increase in women's labor force participation in Asia, a greater understanding of the impact of maternal employment on parenting and child development in Asia is much needed. The present study examined the concurrent relations between maternal employment status and family characteristics (e.g., socioeconomic status/SES, family structure) in Taiwanese families, and the unique relations of maternal employment and family SES to maternal stress, parenting beliefs, and preschoolers' socioemotional adjustment. In a school-based sample of 511 preschoolers (age range = 4-6 years, 52.9% girls), their mothers, and teachers in Taipei and Taitung, mothers reported their employment status, family characteristics, perceived stress and parenting beliefs. Mothers and teachers rated preschoolers' adjustment. Results showed that compared to unemployed mothers in Taiwan, employed mothers were more likely to come from families with higher SES and fewer children, and nuclear (vs. extended) families. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Mothers from lower-SES families reported higher stress and higher endorsement of coercive parenting, and lower endorsement of authoritative parenting than mothers from higher-SES families. Controlling for SES, employed mothers endorsed higher coercive parenting than unemployed mothers. Mothers' endorsement of authoritative parenting was associated with better child adjustment by mothers' (but not teachers') reports, whereas maternal stress and coercive parenting were associated with poorer child adjustment (by mothers' reports only). In sum, maternal employment was intricately associated with family SES in Taiwanese families, and the two contextual factors shape parenting and child adjustment in different processes.

Parenting is one of the challenging jobs an individual will ever face. Childhood illnesses rudely shatter the sensibilities. Congenital malformations and in particular congenital heart diseases are likely to become important contributors to infant mortality. The objective of the study is to assess the stress levels among mothers of children with congenital heart disease and to study the resilience among families of children with congenital heart disease. Mothers of children who have congenital heart disease and those who come to the hospital for follow up visit in the outpatient department and who fulfills the criteria of inclusion. 50 mothers (n=50) were randomly chosen for the study. The Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) (Abidin, 1995) is a 36 item scale used to measure maternal stress. Family resilience was assessed using the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS) developed by Tucker Sixbey (2005). A significant negative correlation was found between the family resilience (FRAS) and parental stress. This relationship suggests that as the family resilience increases, parental stress in mother decreases. The family resilience seems to have a good effect in reducing the parental stress.

Objective: To examine the effects of prenatal maternal depression, anxiety and stress, and postnatal depression on infant early neurodevelopment, and the sex dimorphism.Study Design: We used data from 3379 mother-infant pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort. Maternal mental health was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Perceived Stress Scale at mid-pregnancy, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at postpartum. Infant neurodevelopment was evaluated using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires and Bayley Scales at ages 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Linear mixed models and linear regression models were used.Results: Among 3379 mothers, 11.07 %, 5.42 %, and 34.85 % of women experienced depression, anxiety, and elevated stress, separately. As maternal prenatal mental scores increased per 1SD, infant social-emotional scores decreased -2.82 (-3.86, -1.79) vs -2.86 (-3.94, -1.79) for depression, -2.34 (-3.38, -1.31) vs -2.72 (-3.81, -1.64) for anxiety, and -2.55 (-3.60, -1.50) vs -3.41 (-4.48, -2.35) for stress among boys and girls at age 24 months, respectively. Associations were also observed on social-emotional and communication scores in boys and girls, and fine motor in girls at age 6 and 12 months. These associations were not observed for postpartum depression.Limitation: Generalizability of the results to other population remains to be determined.Conclusions: Prenatal maternal depression, anxiety, and stress were negatively associated with infant early neurodevelopment, which were not observed for postpartum depression. We underscore the importance of maternal prenatal mental health in optimizing infant neuropsychiatric development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies report that single mothers are at a higher risk for psychological stress than married mothers. This study investigates which risk factors are relevant for the stress of single mothers and how much the maternal stress depends on the number of stressors occurring in combination. For this purpose, multiple regression analyses as well as ANOVAs were calculated using data from 923 single mothers from Germany. Factors influencing single mothers' stress are (1) low parenting self-efficacy beliefs on the part of the mother, (2) at least one child with a disability, (3) low perceived social support, (4) a new partnership, and (5) the age of the youngest child. Cumulation of several stressors causes a significant increase in stress in the domain resulting from the child's behavior and characteristics, i.e. single mothers with several simultaneously occurring stressors experience many times more stress especially in this domain than those who are affected by only one stressor. Our findings suggest that it is not sufficient to focus interventions on the relative disadvantages of single mothers, but that the combined occurrence of different stressors and their cumulative effect should be focused on in prevention and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary research suggests that maternal prenatal stress may alter the development of the fetal microbiome and resulting microbial composition after birth. However, the findings of existing studies are mixed and inconclusive. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess whether maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with the overall number and diversity of various microbial species in the infant gut microbiome or the abundance of specific bacterial taxa. Fifty-one women were recruited during their third trimester of pregnancy. The women completed a demographic questionnaire and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale at recruitment. A stool sample was collected from their neonate at one month of age. Data on potential confounders, such as gestational age and mode of delivery, were extracted from medical records to control for their effects. 16s rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify the diversity and abundance of microbial species, along with multiple linear regression models to examine the effects of prenatal stress on microbial diversity. We employed negative binomial generalized linear models to test for differential expression of various microbial taxa among infants exposed to prenatal stress and those not exposed to prenatal stress. More severe symptoms of prenatal stress were associated with a greater diversity of microbial species in the gut microbiome of neonates (β =.30, p =.025). Certain microbial taxa, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were enriched among infants exposed to greater maternal stress in utero, while others, such as Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae, were depleted in contrast to infants exposed to less stress. Findings suggest that mild to moderate stress exposure in utero could be associated with a microbial environment in early life that is more optimally prepared to thrive in a stressful postnatal environment. Adaptation of gut microbiota under conditions of stress may involve upregulation of bacterial species, including certain protective microorganisms (e.g. Bifidobacterium), as well as downregulation of potential pathogens (e.g. Bacteroides) via epigenetic or other processes within the fetal/neonatal gut-brain axis. However, further research is needed to understand the trajectory of microbial diversity and composition as infant development proceeds and the ways in which both the structure and function of the neonatal microbiome may mediate the relationship between prenatal stress and health outcomes over time. These studies may eventually yield microbial markers and gene pathways that are biosignatures of risk or resilience and inform targets for probiotics or other therapies in utero or during the postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and continued breastfeeding (BF) until two years. Objective: To conduct a narrative review of the effects of social support on maternal distress and BF. Method: A narrative and non-systematic review was conducted, selecting articles from the literature in PubMed, Redalyc, BVS, and from websites of organisations such as WHO and UNICEF. Results: The results show that low social support is associated with increased maternal stress and affects the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding. Social support acts to reduce stress levels. Conclusion: Social support is a factor to be considered as a strategy to reduce maternal stress and promote BF. It is necessary to emphasise the role of healthcare teams in promoting BF, especially among single-parent mothers, by providing social support and breastfeeding education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mothers with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at increased risk of psychological distress, which can have lasting negative impacts on both mother and infant. However, few interventions are available to promote these mothers' mental health and wellbeing. In the context of a pilot randomized controlled trial testing a mindfulness intervention for mothers with infants in the NICU, we explore the experiences of the mothers participating in the mindfulness-based intervention, with mothers in the control group as comparison, and the ways they felt it influenced their time in the NICU. Method: Twenty-six participants (15 participants in the intervention arm and 11 participants in the control arm) recruited from two NICUs in an urban center in Eastern United States completed semi-structured interviews. Interviews explored the mothers' NICU experience as well as experience with the mindfulness and health education (control) programs. Data was analyzed using an iterative, thematic constant comparison process informed by grounded theory. Results: Mothers reported that participation in the mindfulness intervention helped them to calm the chaos through recentering and fostering connections, find comfort through non-judgmental acceptance, gain perspective on the situation, and facilitate self-care. These were experienced only among the mothers in the intervention arm. These themes did not vary based on demographics of the mothers in the mindfulness study arm or their pre-study awareness of mindfulness. Conclusions: Mindfulness interventions may foster new practices and perspectives for mothers with infants in the NICU, potentially leading to improved mental health wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early life stress (ELS) refers to harmful environmental events (i.e., poor maternal health, metabolic restraint, childhood trauma) occurring during the prenatal and/or postnatal period, which may cause the 'epigenetic corruption' of cellular and molecular signaling of mental and physical development. While the impact of ELS in a wide range of human diseases has been confirmed, the ELS susceptibility to bone diseases has been poorly explored. In this review, to understand the potential mediating pathways of ELS in bone diseases, PRISMA criteria were used to analyze different stress protocols in mammal models and the effects elicited in dams and their progeny. Data collected, despite the methodological heterogeneity, show that ELS interferes with fetal bone formation, also revealing that the stress type and affected developmental phase may influence the variety and severity of bone anomalies. Interestingly, these findings highlight the maternal and fetal ability to buffer stress, establishing a new role for the placenta in minimizing ELS perturbations. The functional link between ELS and bone impairments will boost future investigations on maternal stress transmission to the fetus and, parallelly, help the assessment of catch-up mechanisms of skeleton adaptations from the cascading ELS effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal maternal stress has a negative impact on child health but the mechanisms through which maternal stress affects child health are unclear. Epigenetic variation, such as DNA methylation, is a likely mechanistic candidate as DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental insults and can regulate long-term changes in gene expression. We recruited 155 mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the effects of maternal stress on DNA methylation in mothers and newborns. We used four measures of maternal stress to capture a range of stressful experiences: general trauma, sexual trauma, war trauma, and chronic stress. We identified differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with general trauma, sexual trauma, and war trauma in both mothers and newborns. No DMPs were associated with chronic stress. Sexual trauma was positively associated with epigenetic age acceleration across several epigenetic clocks in mothers. General trauma and war trauma were positively associated with newborn epigenetic age acceleration using the extrinsic epigenetic age clock. We tested the top DMPs for enrichment of DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHS) and found no enrichment in mothers. In newborns, top DMPs associated with war trauma were enriched for DHS in embryonic and foetal cell types. Finally, one of the top DMPs associated with war trauma in newborns also predicted birthweight, completing the cycle from maternal stress to DNA methylation to newborn health outcome. Our results indicate that maternal stress is associated with site-specific changes in DNAm and epigenetic age acceleration in both mothers and newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aim: The present research was conducted to develop an educational model for women to cope with maternal stress based on the coping methods of satisfied women and their effectiveness in their cognitive emotion regulation. Method: The research design was mixed methods. The participants in the qualitative phase of the study included the women (living in Tehran in 2021), who were satisfied with their lives and had at least one 6-yearold child. In the first phase, after the initial screening, among 51 women, 11 women whose level of satisfaction with life was above the mean were selected through the purposive sampling method. Using in-depth interviews, an educational model for women to cope with their maternal stress was prepared in 10 sessions. In the second phase, the validity of the educational model was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) index of Lawshe (1975). In the third phase, the population and the statistical sample were selected and using the multi-baseline design, the educational model was implemented. Through the available sampling method, the mothers who met the inclusion criteria were provided with Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; they were asked to fill out the questionnaire. Finally, among the 14 mothers who were examined, three mothers who both had the inclusion criteria and were volunteers participated in the study and were trained in 10 sessions. Findings: The results showed that the educational model of women's coping with maternal stress based on the coping methods of satisfied women was effective in their cognitive emotion regulation. Conclusion: Since the training in the present study was prepared and verified by the researcher based on the protocol based on the socio-cultural context of the participants, it can play an important role in the effectiveness of those emotion regulation strategies. psychologists and family counselors can use the developed and standardized educational model of the present study to reduce maternal stress and cognitive emotion regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding involves signaling between mother and offspring through biological (breast milk) and behavioral pathways. This study tested this by examining the effects of a relaxation intervention in an understudied infant population. Breastfeeding mothers of late preterm (340/7–366/7 weeks) and early term (370/7–386/7 weeks) infants were randomized to the relaxation group (RG, n = 35), where they were asked to listen to a meditation recording while breastfeeding from 3 weeks post-delivery, or the control group (CG, n = 37) where no intervention was given. Primary outcomes-maternal stress and infant weight-were assessed at 2–3 (baseline) and 6–8 weeks post-delivery. Secondary outcomes included infant length, infant behavior, maternal verbal memory, salivary cortisol, and breast milk composition. Infants in the RG had significantly higher change in weight-for-age Z-score compared to those in CG (effect size: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.71; p = 0.01), and shorter crying duration [RG: 5.0 min, 0.0–120.0 vs. CG: 30.0 min, 0.0–142.0; p = 0.03]. RG mothers had greater reduction in cortisol (effect size: −0.08 ug/dL, 95% CI −0.15, −0.01; p = 0.03) and better maternal verbal learning score (effect size: 1.1 words, 95% CI 0.04, 2.1; p = 0.04) than CG mothers, but did not differ in stress scores. A simple relaxation intervention during breastfeeding could be beneficial in promoting growth of late preterm and early term infants. Further investigation of other potential biological and behavioral mediators is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruptions in perinatal care and support due to the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented but significant stressor among pregnant women. Various neurostructural differences have been re-ported among fetuses and infants born during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic counterparts. The relationship between maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions and fetal brain is yet unexamined. Methods: Pregnant participants with healthy pregnancies were prospectively recruited in 2020–2022 in the greater Los Angeles Area. Participants completed multiple self-report assessments for experiences of pandemic related disruptions, perceived stress, and coping behaviors and underwent fetal MRI. Maternal perceived stress exposures were correlated with quantitative multimodal MRI measures of fetal brain development using multivariate models. Results: Increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress positively correlated with normalized fetal brainstem volume (suggesting accelerated brainstem maturation). In contrast, increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress correlated with reduced global fetal brain temporal functional variance (suggesting reduced functional connectivity). Conclusions: We report alterations in fetal brainstem structure and global functional fetal brain activity associated with increased maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions, suggesting altered fetal programming. Long term follow-up studies are required to better understand the sequalae of these early multi-modal brain disruptions among infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Humans are ubiquitously exposed to air pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Although most studies of prenatal exposures have focused on psychopathology in childhood or adolescence, the effects of air pollutants on early emerging individual differences in reactivity and regulation are of growing concern. Our study is the first to report effects of prenatal exposure to PAH and maternal stress on infant reactivity and regulation. Methods: Participants included 153 infants (74 girls and 79 boys). Prenatal exposure to PAH was measured via personal air monitoring during the third trimester of pregnancy. Maternal perceived stress was measured via self‐report. We assessed infant orienting/regulation (OR), surgency (SE), and negative affectivity (NA) at 4 months using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. We measured infant socioemotional outcomes at 12 months using the Brief Infant‐Toddler Social & Emotional Assessment Questionnaire. Results: Infants with higher prenatal PAH exposure and of mothers with higher stress had lower OR at 4 months, which predicted lower competence at 12 months. Infants with higher prenatal PAH exposure had lower SE at 4 months, which predicted more behavioral problems at 12 months. Prenatal exposure to PAH had no effects on infant NA at 4 months, although NA was associated with greater behavioral problems at 12 months. Conclusions: Infant reactivity and regulation, as early makers of child psychopathology, can facilitate timely and targeted screening and possibly prevention of disorders caused, in part, by environmental pollution. A multifaceted approach to improve environmental quality and reduce psychosocial stress is necessary to improve the developmental outcomes of children and most specially children from disadvantaged communities that disproportionately experience these environmental exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal education is associated with early child outcomes. However, the several mechanisms that may explain this relationship remain underexplored. Using data from 1,097 children aged 12–15 months in Chile, we estimate the maternal education gap across child cognitive and language outcomes. Following a bioecological perspective, we explore potential pathways by which maternal education might influence child development, such as child characteristics, the quantity and quality of mother–child interactions, and the availability of home stimulation. We found an average maternal education gap between children with mothers with the lowest and the highest educational levels of 0.36, 0.31, and 0.25 standard deviation in child cognition, expressive language, and receptive language, respectively. The mediational analysis showed that maternal stress and depression and the quality of the home environment mediated the relation between maternal education and child language and cognitive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and stress is well documented, the directionality of this relationship is unclear. We use an adjusted longitudinal study design to better understand if stressful life events in the home precipitate or exacerbate intimate partner violence (IPV) and if experiences of IPV, in turn, increase levels of perceived stress. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected among married women in rural Pakistan at 12 and 24 months postpartum (N = 815). Adjusted Poisson and linear regression models were used to examine stressful life events, past year IPV and severity (number and frequency of violent acts), and perceived stress (Cohen Perceived Stress Scale). Results: At 12 months postpartum, the prevalence of past year physical, psychological, and sexual IPV was 8.5%, 25.7%, and 25.1%, respectively, with 42.6% experiencing any IPV. After adjustment, stressful life events were associated with a subsequent increased likelihood of all IPV types and increased severity of all but physical IPV. Any past year IPV (versus none) and greater IPV severity were associated with 3.43 (95% CI 2.33–4.52) and 2.57 (95% CI 1.87–3.27) point subsequent increases in perceived stress. Physical, psychological, and sexual IPV and their respective severities were all independently associated with increased perceived stress. Conclusions: Among postpartum women in Pakistan, stressful life events increase the likelihood of IPV and, in turn, experiences of IPV increase stress levels. Support to families undergoing stressful circumstances may be critical to reducing women's IPV exposure and resulting elevated stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous literature has shown that family structure affects language development. Here, factors relating to older siblings (their presence in the house, sex, and age gap), mothers (maternal stress), and household size and residential crowding were assessed to systematically examine the different roles of these factors. Data from mother-child dyads in a Singaporean birth cohort, (677-855 dyads; 52% males; 58% to 61% Chinese, 20% to 24% Malay, 17% to 19% Indian) collected when children were 24, 48, and 54 months old, were analyzed. There was a negative effect of having an older sibling, moderated by the siblings' age gap, but not by the older sibling's sex, nor household size or residential crowding. Maternal stress affected language outcomes in some analyses but not others. Implications for understanding the possible effects of family structure on language development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio of boys to girls (sex ratio) at birth (SRB) is about 1.01–1.05 in most populations and is influenced by various factors, such as maternal stress, maternal inflammation, and endocrine disruption. Male fetus is biologically weaker and more vulnerable to prenatal events than female fetuses. Hence, premature death (and consequently decline the SRB) is higher in boys than girls. The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been known to have a variety of stressful and psychological impacts. This stress may consequently enhance maternal inflammation, pregnancy complication, and fetal loss. Also, male fetuses have more adverse outcomes than female fetuses among asymptomatic pregnant women with SARS-Cov-2 infection. Inasmuch as the male fetus are more vulnerable to prenatal events and premature death, it is proposed that the SRB can decline in pregnant women following the COVID-19 stress. However, future studies are needed to define the impact of the COVID-19 on SRB rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to motherhood is a significant developmental milestone in many women's lives. This transitional period may be more stressful for women with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) than for women without such a history. This study tested whether parental self-efficacy (PSE) accounts for the link between CM and parental stress in mothers transitioning to motherhood. The study used a convenience sample of 1,306 first-time mothers of children aged two years or younger. Mothers filled out online self-report questionnaires assessing history of CM, PSE, and prenatal stress. Consistent with the hypotheses, exposure to CM was directly associated with greater parental stress. Also, PSE partially mediated the associations between CM and parental stress, such that mothers with a history of childhood abuse reported a lower level of PSE, which in turn was associated with greater parental stress. In conclusion, the study highlights the important role of negative cognitions related to parenting for maternal dysfunction following exposure to childhood abuse. These findings suggest a need to incorporate preventive interventions designed to promote PSE for mothers exposed to CM. Such programs may alleviate parental stress and further support the healthy development of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chronic parental stress may negatively impact health among both parents and children. Adverse neighborhood social conditions like crime may increase stress while a supportive neighborhood may buffer stress and promote well-being. Our objective was to examine associations between neighborhood social factors and stress among mothers of young children. METHODS: We surveyed 300 mothers/female caregivers of Medicaid-enrolled 2 to 4-year-old children in Philadelphia. Maternal stress was measured via the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (range 0-40). Mothers' perceived neighborhood safety and collective efficacy were assessed using validated scales. Addresses were geocoded to link census tract-level violent crime rates. We used multivariable linear regression to examine associations of neighborhood safety, collective efficacy, and crime with maternal stress, adjusted for demographics, household socioeconomic status. and neighborhood poverty. RESULTS: Among mothers (mean age 31, 60% Black/African American), higher perceived neighborhood safety and collective efficacy were associated with lower stress scores after adjustment for covariates. Each 1-point increase (on a 5-point scale) in perceived neighborhood safety was associated with a 2.30-point decrease in maternal stress (95% CI: -3.07, -1.53). Similarly, each 1-point increase in perceived collective efficacy was associated with a 3.08-point decrease in maternal stress (95% CI: -4.13, -2.02), Police-recorded violent crime rates were not associated with maternal stress. CONCLUSION: Mothers of young children who perceive their neighborhood social environment more favorably report less stress compared to those who feel their neighborhood environment is less safe and cohesive. Future work is warranted to investigate whether interventions that increase perceived neighborhood safety and collective efficacy reduce stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood and one of the more widespread chronic diseases that affect children school age, based on the DSM-IV. This study focuses on the influence of stress to the kids suffering from ADHD and the importance of other elements on it. This particular study was based on articles in scientific journals, with the purpose to investigate some of the factors that affect positively or negatively in the exacerbation of anxiety on children suffering from ADHD and how the prenatal and parental stress affects this condition. The results have shown that the environmental factors, nutrition, hormones, neurotransmitters and alternative techniques are directly related with the characteristics of the disorder and the ways of how to improve it. In the light of these findings, we came to the conclusion that we can intervene to the deficits of mainly socio-emotional functions through the above factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attentional biases to threat‐related stimuli, such as fearful and angry facial expressions, are important to survival and emerge early in development. Infants demonstrate an attentional bias to fearful facial expressions by 5–7 months of age and an attentional bias toward anger by 3 years of age that are modulated by experiential factors. In a longitudinal study of 87 mother–infant dyads from families predominantly experiencing low income, we examined whether maternal stress and depressive symptoms were associated with trajectories of attentional biases to threat, assessed during an attention disengagement eye‐tracking task when infants were 6‐, 9‐, and 12‐month old. By 9 months, infants demonstrated a generalized bias toward threat (both fearful and angry facial expressions). Maternal perceived stress was associated with the trajectory of the bias toward angry facial expressions between 6 and 12 months. Specifically, infants of mothers with higher perceived stress exhibited a greater bias toward angry facial expressions at 6 months that decreased across the next 6 months, compared to infants of mothers with lower perceived stress who displayed an increased bias to angry facial expressions over this age range. Maternal depressive symptoms and stressful life events were not associated with trajectories of infant attentional bias to anger or fear. These findings highlight the role of maternal perceptions of stress in shaping developmental trajectories of threat‐alerting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In the first years of their lives, children develop the cognitive, social and emotional skills that will provide the foundations for their lifelong health and achievements. To increase their life prospects and reduce the long-term effects of early aversive conditions, it is therefore crucial to understand the risk factors that negatively affect child development and the factors that are instead beneficial. In this study, we tested (i) the effects of different social and environmental stressors on maternal stress levels, (ii) the dynamic relationship between maternal stress and child behavior problems during development, and (iii) the potential promotive (i.e. main) or protective (i.e. buffering) effect of siblings on child behavior problems during development. Methods We used longitudinal data from 373 mother–child pairs (188 daughters, 185 sons) from pregnancy until 10 years of age. We assessed maternal stress and child behavior problems (internalizing and externalizing) with validated questionnaires, and then used linear mixed models, generalized linear mixed models and longitudinal cross-lagged models to analyze the data. Results Our results showed that higher maternal stress levels were predicted by socio-environmental stressors (i.e. the lack of sufficient social areas in the neighborhood). Moreover, prenatal maternal stress reliably predicted the occurrence of behavior problems during childhood. Finally, the presence of older siblings had a promotive function, by reducing the likelihood that children developed externalizing problems. Conclusions Overall, our results confirm the negative effects that maternal stress during pregnancy may have on the offspring, and suggest an important main effect of older siblings in promoting a positive child development.

Perinatal stress experienced by mothers of very premature newborns may influence the mother’s milk and the infant’s intestinal microbiota. This prospective study of mothers of very preterm infants fed with mother’s own milk (MOM) was carried out in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period. The assessment of maternal stress in 45 mothers of 52 very preterm newborns using the parental stress scale (PSS:NICU) revealed an inverse relationship between stress and MOM production in the first days of life (p = 0.012). The greatest contributor to stress was the one related to the establishment of a mother–child bond. Maternal stress was lower in mothers in whom the kangaroo method was established early (p = 0.011) and in those with a higher educational level (p = 0.032). Levels of fecal calprotectin (FC) decreased with the passage of days and were directly correlated with birthweight (p = 0.044). FC levels 7 days post-delivery were lower in newborns that received postnatal antibiotics (p = 0.027). High levels of maternal stress resulted in progressive decreases and increases in the proportions of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria species, respectively, over 15 days post-delivery, both in MOM and in fecal samples from premature newborns. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and appropriately managing maternal stress in neonatal units, given its marked influence on both the microbiota of maternal milk and the intestinal microbiota of premature newborns.