Do Physical Activity and Personality Matter for Hair Cortisol Concentration and Self-Reported Stress in Pregnancy? A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study.

Franciszek Makurat,Radosław Laskowski,Jacek Przybylski,Paulina Pawlicka,Paulina Anikiej-Wiczenbach,Ariadna Łada-Maśko,Anna Szumilewicz,Dagmara Budnik-Przybylska,Maria Kaźmierczak,Hideaki Soya

doi:10.3390/ijerph17218050

Abstract

Background: Physical activity reduces psychosocial stress in pregnant women. Stress levels might be self-reported (psychosocial) or measured with biomarkers, one of which is hair cortisol concentration (HCC). Additionally, personality has been associated with stress and physical activity. Methods: The first aim of our study was to explore the differences in self-reported stress assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and in HCC with regard to physical activity level in pregnant (N = 29) and non-pregnant (N = 21) women. The second aim was to analyze the correlations among perceived stress, HCC, frequency of exercise and personality in the two groups separately. Results: There was a significant difference in frequency of exercise and self-reported stress between the two groups, with a lower level in pregnant women, but no differences in HCC and in personality were found. In the group of pregnant women, there was a significant negative correlation between HCC and frequency of exercise sessions, with the latter correlating positively with openness to experience. In the group of non-pregnant women, perceived stress negatively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. HCC correlated negatively with conscientiousness. Conclusions: Our findings indicate the importance of physical activity programs dedicated to pregnant women for their life quality.

Highlights

Maternal prenatal psychological distress and lifestyle during pregnancy influence child development and may result in potentially permanent changes and lifelong consequences [1].The majority of studies explore the role of self-reported stress during pregnancy
Self-reported stress assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was lower in pregnant women
The results indicated that the number of exercise sessions per week correlated positively with openness to experience, which confirmed its associations with a greater need for stimuli and higher engagement with various types of activities, including physical exercise [27]

Summary

Introduction

Maternal prenatal psychological distress and lifestyle during pregnancy influence child development and may result in potentially permanent changes and lifelong consequences [1].The majority of studies explore the role of self-reported stress during pregnancy. Prenatal psychosocial stress has been linked to reported lifestyle and health behaviors, but the physical activity of pregnant women has rarely been controlled [2]. One of the biomarkers of chronic maternal stress response from the last month is the cortisol level in hair samples measured non-invasively. The results of prior studies concerning the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and self-reported stress in pregnant women are often contradictory and might be influenced by the characteristics of samples or analysis protocols [11]. For example, Bowers et al [15] confirmed a positive association between self-reported stress and hair cortisol but only in the group of pregnant women who experienced high levels of childhood adversity. Stress levels might be self-reported (psychosocial) or measured with biomarkers, one of which is hair cortisol concentration (HCC). Personality has been associated with stress and physical activity

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