Pregnant women become insensitive to cold stress.

Martin Kammerer,Brida Von Castelberg,Vivette Glover,Diana Adams

doi:10.1186/1471-2393-2-8

Martin Kammerer, Brida Von Castelberg + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-2-8

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Abstract

BackgroundThe function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is known to be altered during pregnancy, but it has not been tested with a natural stressor.MethodsA group of pregnant women (n = 10) were tested towards the end of pregnancy (mean 36.8 ± 2.5 weeks gestation) and about 8 weeks postpartum (mean 7.8 ± 1.5 weeks), together with a matched control group, with a one minute cold hand stressor test. Saliva samples were collected before and 10 and 20 minutes after the test, and stored for later radioimmunoassay of cortisol.ResultsThe control group showed a highly significant response to the test. The pregnant group showed no response, and the postpartum group a variable but non significant oneConclusionsThis shows that the HPA axis becomes hypofunctional to a natural stressor at the end of pregnancy. It is suggested that one possible evolutionary function for this is to protect the fetus from the stress responses of the mother.

Highlights

The function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is known to be altered during pregnancy, but it has not been tested with a natural stressor
It is established that the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is altered during human pregnancy, much remains to be understood concerning this
This study has shown quite clearly that the cortisol response to the cold hand stress test was considerably dampened in women at the end of pregnancy

Summary

Introduction

The function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is known to be altered during pregnancy, but it has not been tested with a natural stressor. It is established that the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is altered during human pregnancy, much remains to be understood concerning this. There is clearcut evidence from animal studies that if the mother is stressed during pregnancy that this can have long term effects on the behaviour of the offspring [19,23]. There is evidence in humans that prenatal stress and anxiety can have effects on the pregnancy and they have been linked with pre-term delivery [13]. Maternal anxiety during pregnancy can have long term effects on the behaviour of the child [10,16]

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