Hair and Salivary Cortisol During Pregnancy

Abstract

It is hypothesized that maternal psychological distress can affect perinatal outcomes. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is responsible for regulating stress, which includes the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can be measured through blood, saliva, urine, and hair. Hair provides a chronic, retrospective measure of cortisol, unlike other measures that only provide information about the day it was collected. As a result, previous studies that have used this acute measure may not provide information about overall HPA axis function during pregnancy.