Maternal Stress Levels Research Articles

Effects of Prenatal Stress on Behavior, Cognition, and Psychopathology: A Comprehensive Review.

Prenatal stress is increasingly recognized as a significant factor impacting an individual's life from the beginning. This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationship between prenatal stress and its effects on behaviour, cognition, and psychopathology. Key findings reveal that prenatal stress can lead to a wide range of adverse outcomes in offspring, including neurodevelopmental disorders, emotional dysregulation, cognitive deficits, mood disorders, and an increased risk of psychopathological conditions. These effects' mechanisms involve epigenetic modifications, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation, neurodevelopmental alterations, inflammatory processes, and changes in brain structure and function. Moreover, moderating factors such as maternal stress levels, maternal mental health, socioeconomic status, social support, and early-life adversity can significantly influence the impact of prenatal stress. The review also discusses intervention and prevention strategies, emphasizing the importance of prenatal stress reduction programs, maternal mental health support, nutritional interventions, and targeted early interventions for at-risk populations. These findings have substantial implications for public health and clinical practice, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to prenatal care that prioritizes maternal well-being and mitigates the lasting effects of prenatal stress. Addressing this critical issue promises healthier generations and stronger communities in the future.

Effects of Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction on fetal and neonatal brain development: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial

Maternal suboptimal nutrition and high stress levels are associated with adverse fetal and infant neurodevelopment. This study aimed to investigate if structured lifestyle interventions involving a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction during pregnancy are associated with differences in fetal and neonatal brain development. This was a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial Improving Mothers for a Better Prenatal Care Trial Barcelona that was conducted in Barcelona, Spain, from 2017 to 2020. Participants with singleton pregnancies were randomly allocated into 3 groups, namely Mediterranean diet intervention, stress reductionprogram, or usual care. Participants in the Mediterranean diet group received monthly individual sessions and free provision of extra-virgin olive oil and walnuts. Pregnant women in the stress reduction group underwent an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program adapted for pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging of 90 fetal brains was performed at 36 to 39 weeks of gestation and the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale was completed for 692 newborns at 1 to 3 months. Fetal outcomes were the total brain volume and lobular or regional volumes obtained from a 3-dimensional reconstruction and semiautomatic segmentation of magnetic resonance images. Neonatal outcomes were the 6 clusters scores of the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the interventions and the fetal and neonatal outcomes. When compared with the usual care group, the offspring exposed to a maternal Mediterranean diet had a larger total fetal brain volume (mean, 284.11 cm3; standard deviation, 23.92 cm3 vs 294.01 cm3; standard deviation, 26.29 cm3; P=.04), corpus callosum (mean, 1.16 cm3; standard deviation, 0.19 cm3 vs 1.26 cm3; standard deviation, 0.22 cm3; P=.03), and right frontal lobe (44.20; standard deviation, 4.09 cm3 vs 46.60; standard deviation, 4.69 cm3; P=.02) volumes based on magnetic resonance imaging measures and higher scores in the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale clusters of autonomic stability (mean, 7.4; standard deviation, 0.9 vs 7.6; standard deviation, 0.7; P=.04), social interaction (mean, 7.5; standard deviation, 1.5 vs 7.8; standard deviation, 1.3; P=.03), and range of state (mean, 4.3; standard deviation, 1.3 vs 4.5; standard deviation, 1.0; P=.04). When compared with the usual care group, offspring from the stress reduction group had larger fetal left anterior cingulate gyri volume (1.63; standard deviation, 0.32 m3 vs 1.79; standard deviation, 0.30 cm3; P=.03) based on magnetic resonance imaging and higher scores in the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale for regulation of state (mean, 6.0; standard deviation, 1.8 vs 6.5; standard deviation, 1.5; P<.01). Maternal structured lifestyle interventions involving the promotion of a Mediterranean diet or stress reduction during pregnancy were associated with changes in fetal and neonatal brain development.

Maternal Stress: The First 14 Months Postpartum

SYNOPSIS Objective. Maternal stress is a psychological response to the demands of motherhood. A high level of maternal stress is a risk factor for maternal mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, as well as adverse infant socioemotional and cognitive outcomes. Yet, levels of maternal stress (i.e., levels of stress related to parenting) among low-risk samples are rarely studied longitudinally, particularly in the first year after birth. Design. We measured maternal stress in an ethnically diverse sample of low-risk, healthy U.S. mothers of healthy infants (N = 143) living in South Florida across six time points between 2 weeks and 14 months postpartum using the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, capturing stress related to the mother, mother-infant interactions, and the infant. Results. Maternal distress increased as infants aged for mothers with more than one child, but not for first-time mothers whose distress levels remained low and stable across this period. Stress related to mother-infant dysfunctional interactions lessened over the first 8 months. Mothers’ stress about their infants’ difficulties decreased from 2 weeks to 6 months, and subsequently increased from 6 to 14 months. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that maternal stress is dynamic across the first year after birth. The current study adds to our understanding of typical developmental patterns in early motherhood and identifies potential domains and time points as targets for future interventions.

Association of the elevated level of prenatal testosterone, maternal stress and vitamin D3 deficiency during pregnancy with the development of ADHD like symptoms in toddlers

Association of the elevated level of prenatal testosterone, maternal stress and vitamin D3 deficiency during pregnancy with the development of ADHD like symptoms in toddlers

Effects of Maternal Stress on Breast Milk Production and the Microbiota of Very Premature Infants.

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.

Maternal Perinatal Stress Trajectories and Negative Affect and Amygdala Development in Offspring.

Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy is a common risk factor for psychiatric disorders in offspring, but little is known about how heterogeneity of stress trajectories during pregnancy affect brain systems and behavioral phenotypes in infancy. This study was designed to address this gap in knowledge. Maternal anxiety, stress, and depression were assessed at multiple time points during pregnancy in two independent low-risk mother-infant cohorts (N=115 and N=2,156). Trajectories in maternal stress levels in relation to infant negative affect were examined in both cohorts. Neonatal amygdala resting-state functional connectivity MRI was examined in a subset of one cohort (N=60) to explore the potential relationship between maternal stress trajectories and brain systems in infants relevant to negative affect. Four distinct trajectory clusters, characterized by changing patterns of stress over time, and two magnitude clusters, characterized by severity of stress, were identified in the original mother-infant cohort (N=115). The magnitude clusters were not associated with infant outcomes. The trajectory characterized by increasing stress in late pregnancy was associated with blunted development of infant negative affect. This relationship was replicated in the second, larger cohort (N=2,156). In addition, the trajectories that included increasing or peak maternal stress in late pregnancy were related to stronger neonatal amygdala functional connectivity to the anterior insula and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the exploratory analysis. The trajectory of maternal stress appears to be important for offspring brain and behavioral development. Understanding heterogeneity in trajectories of maternal stress and their influence on infant brain and behavioral development is critical to developing targeted interventions.

Effect of a Mediterranean Diet or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction During Pregnancy on Child Neurodevelopment

Maternal suboptimal nutrition and high stress levels are associated with adverse fetal and childhood neurodevelopment. To test the hypothesis that structured interventions based on a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) during pregnancy improve child neurodevelopment at age 2 years. This was a prespecified analysis of the parallel-group Improving Mothers for a Better Prenatal Care Trial Barcelona (IMPACT BCN) randomized clinical trial, which was conducted at a university hospital in Barcelona, Spain, from February 2017 to March 2020. A total of 1221 singleton pregnancies (19 to 23 weeks' gestation) with high risk of delivering newborns who were small for gestational age were randomly allocated into 3 groups: a Mediterranean diet intervention, an MBSR program, or usual care. A postnatal evaluation with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition (Bayley-III), was performed. Data were analyzed from July to November 2022. Participants in the Mediterranean diet group received monthly individual and group educational sessions and free provision of extra virgin olive oil and walnuts. Those in the stress reduction group underwent an 8-week MBSR program adapted for pregnancy. Individuals in the usual care group received pregnancy care per institutional protocols. Neurodevelopment in children was assessed by Bayley-III at 24 months of corrected postnatal age. A total of 626 children (293 [46.8%] female and 333 [53.2%] male) participated at a mean (SD) age of 24.8 (2.9) months. No differences were observed in the baseline characteristics between intervention groups. Compared with children from the usual care group, children in the Mediterranean diet group had higher scores in the cognitive domain (β, 5.02; 95% CI, 1.52-8.53; P = .005) and social-emotional domain (β, 5.15; 95% CI, 1.18-9.12; P = .01), whereas children from the stress reduction group had higher scores in the social-emotional domain (β, 4.75; 95% CI, 0.54-8.85; P = .02). In this prespecified analysis of a randomized clinical trial, maternal structured lifestyle interventions during pregnancy based on a Mediterranean diet or MBSR significantly improved child neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2 years. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03166332.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Maternal Stress Among Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Rural Bangladesh

This research aim to identify the prevalence and factors associated with maternal stress among mothers of children with cerebral palsy in rural Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was performed among 200 mothers of children with cerebral palsy picked up from rural Bangladesh using a simple random sampling technique. A questionnaire divided into various sections and administered by the researchers was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were applied to summarize the respondents’ characteristics, main outcomes (maternal stress levels), and factors associated with maternal stress. The overall prevalence of maternal stress among mothers of children with CP was 56.5%, and the median (IQR) age of respondents was 30 (14), whereas that of the children with CP was 6 (8). Factors associated with a higher prevalence of maternal stress were older mothers, divorced/separated, living in a nuclear family, income, male children, and higher negative family impact (p &lt; 0.05). The factors identified in this study could help to develop policies and strategies to minimize maternal stress associated with parenting children with cerebral palsy in rural Bangladeshi households.

Frustration responses of single and partnered mothers to prolonged infant crying.

Prolonged infant crying can be a trigger for maternal frustration and can even predict intrusive infant-related thoughts of harm. In this study, we compared frustration responses to prolonged infant crying between single and partnered mothers and attempted to identify variables that mediated any difference between the two groups. We also identified acoustic characteristics of infant cries that were related to higher levels of reported maternal frustration. Twenty-five single and 25 partnered mothers with infants under the age of 6 months completed several mental health questionnaires, and then rated their frustration level after listening to each of 50 consecutive 15s infant cry videos from 50 different infants. As expected, greater maternal perceived stress was associated with higher frustration ratings in response to infant crying, and this was mediated by increased maternal negative affect. Also as expected, both financial strain and low social support were associated with greater perceived stress. However, our sample of single mothers did not experience more stress than our sample of partnered mothers. Nor did they find infant crying to be more frustrating, perhaps due to a recruitment bias toward higher functioning single mothers. Finally, several cry acoustic characteristics were associated with increased maternal frustration, including higher fundamental frequency, air energy, shimmer and longer duration of expiratory phonations, as well as a longer cumulative duration of crying. Our results suggest that maternal frustration in response to infant crying may be decreased by lowering maternal stress levels, and this may be achieved by increasing social support and decreasing financial strain. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Maternal perceived stress and infant behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundMaternal stress has negative consequences on infant behavioral development, and COVID-19 presented uniquely stressful situations to mothers of infants born during the pandemic. We hypothesized that mothers with higher levels of perceived stress during the pandemic would report higher levels of infant regulatory problems including crying and interrupted sleep patterns.MethodsAs part 6 sites of a longitudinal study, mothers of infants born during the pandemic completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire, and an Infant Crying survey at 6 (n = 433) and 12 (n = 344) months of infant age.ResultsMaternal perceived stress, which remained consistent at 6 and 12 months of infant age, was significantly positively correlated with time taken to settle infants. Although maternal perceived stress was not correlated with uninterrupted sleep length, time taken to put the infant to sleep was correlated. Perceived stress was also correlated with the amount of infant crying and fussiness reported at 6 months.ConclusionsMothers who reported higher levels of perceived stress during the pandemic reported higher levels of regulatory problems, specifically at 6 months. Examining how varying levels of maternal stress and infant behaviors relate to overall infant developmental status over time is an important next step.ImpactWomen giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic who reported higher levels of stress on the Perceived Stress Scale also reported higher levels of infant fussiness and crying at 6 months old, and more disruptive sleep patterns in their infants at 6 months and 12 months old. Sleeping problems and excessive crying in infancy are two regulatory problems that are known risk factors for emotional and behavioral issues in later childhood. This paper is one of the first studies highlighting the associations between maternal stress and infant behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A feasibility study of Online Mellow Bumps: A Turkish pilot study of an online group-based antenatal parenting intervention

BackgroundAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mellow Parenting proposed online strategies for some of their interventions. One such intervention was Mellow Bumps – becoming Online Mellow Bumps. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of antenatal parenting intervention Mellow Bumps in an online format and determine if this can be done safely and without detriment to pregnant women in Turkey. MethodThe study used an exploratory study design to investigate routine evaluation data collected pre- and post-intervention. Outcomes were online feasibility, mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress), maternal subjective well-being, perceived quality of relationship with baby, maternal confidence and maternal social connectivity. 128 mums-to-be took part in the intervention between January 2021 and May 2021 from a total of 21 different provinces in Turkey. Results57 pre- and post-intervention responses were eligible for analysis. This gives a response rate of 44.5% for evaluation, though the intervention completion rate was high at 89.5%, suggesting the intervention is engaging and accessible. Improvements were found for maternal stress levels, maternal subjective well-being and perceived relationship with baby. Improvements were also found for maternal confidence and maternal social connectivity. ConclusionsThis is the first study to evaluate the antenatal parenting intervention Mellow Bumps in an online format, namely Online Mellow Bumps. The online format makes the programme accessible for at-risk mothers and families, with the potential to continue reaching wider audiences beyond the pandemic who otherwise might struggle to access support. The findings show that the online group can be effective in improving mental health symptoms and mental well-being, supporting expectant mothers before the baby is born. Future research using a control group, a larger and more inclusive sample, and assessing the longer-term effects on parent and child would be beneficial.

Social Disparities Increase Risk of SUDs

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Annual MeetingFull AccessSocial Disparities Increase Risk of SUDsNick ZagorskiNick ZagorskiSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:16 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.07.7.53AbstractAt APA’s 2023 Annual Meeting, National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, M.D., highlighted the relationship between early stress and brain development.The COVID-19 pandemic made many hidden truths more abundantly clear, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow, M.D., said during a presentation at APA’s Annual Meeting in May. Among them was the power of social determinants of health—as racial and ethnic minorities, those with less income, and people with psychiatric illness bore the brunt of negative health outcomes.Social determinants of health are also strong risk factors for substance use disorders, Volkow continued.She noted that brain imaging data indicate that the environment plays a stronger role than genetics in guiding brain development between the ages of 5 and 8 years. In households with dysfunction, stress, and/or financial difficulties, children tend to receive more negative environmental stimulation and less positive stimulation.Making use of new imaging data from over 7,500 9- and 10-year-old children enrolled in NIDA’s Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, Volkow together with Dardo Tomasi, Ph.D., a staff scientist at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, evaluated the relationship between family income and brain structure. Their analysis revealed that children from higher-income families appeared to have larger and thicker frontal cortices as well as higher cognitive test scores compared with children from lower-income families.Another brain imaging study of babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic uncovered a similar pattern: Greater levels of maternal stress and anxiety were associated with worse connectivity between the amygdala and frontal cortex in the infants. Lower social support was a significant predictor of clinically elevated prenatal maternal distress, the study found.Such early changes in brain structure may increase the risk of later problems with substance use, Volkow noted, as data show that people who are more sensitive to negative conditioning (for example, learning quickly not to touch a hot stove after getting burned) and/or have blunted reward conditioning are at higher risk of addiction.Showing a correlation is one thing, but is there evidence that correlation can be changed?Well, yes, Volkow noted. She pointed to one controlled intervention in which 1,000 low-income mothers from several U.S. cities were randomly allocated either a $333 or $20 monthly stipend after the birth of their child. About 400 of the babies were selected for EEG scans at one year of age, and the EEG data found that babies of mothers with the high-cash stipend had more robust and active brain activity than the babies of mothers who received the low-cash stipend.“This simple monetary intervention probably reduced the mother’s stress [related to] how she would support her child and maybe let them spend more time together,” Volkow said. There was a clear positive neurodevelopmental outcome.Volkow acknowledged that the United States may not have the resources right now to implement some of these early-life interventions on a large scale, but building up the infrastructure is one of NIDA’s priorities. Just attenuating the impact of poverty can boost childhood development and prevent susceptibility to substance use down the road, she said. ■Resources“Associations of Family Income with Cognition and Brain Structure in USA Children: Prevention Implications”“Prenatal Maternal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associations With Infant Brain Connectivity” ISSUES NewArchived

The Relationship of Preterm, Term, and Post-Term Births to Maternal Stress and Human Milk Cortisol Levels.

Introduction: Maternal stress can lead to changes in the composition of human breast milk. The present study evaluates cortisol levels in the breast milk of mothers after giving birth preterm, term, or post-term, and ascertains whether the levels are associated with maternal stress. Materials and Methods: Included in the study were mothers who gave birth vaginally after 32 weeks of gestation between January and April 2022. The breast milk was expressed with an electronic pump under the supervision of a nurse on day 7 following birth, and 2 mL samples of the milk were transferred into microtubes and stored at -80°C. Stress in the mothers was measured using the perceived stress scale developed by Cohen et al. The human breast milk cortisol levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunoassay in a single session. Results: A total of 90 mothers, including 30 with preterm births, 38 with term births, and 22 with post-term births, were included in the study. The median stress scale score was 28 (17-50) and the median breast milk cortisol level was 0.49 ng/mL (0.1-1.96 ng/mL). A significant positive correlation was noted between the stress scale scores and breast milk cortisol levels (r = 0.56, p < 0.01). The breast milk cortisol levels and maternal stress scale scores were significantly higher in the preterm birth group than in the term birth group (p = 0.011 and p = 0.013, respectively). Conclusion: Although there is an association between maternal stress and preterm labor and milk cortisol levels, we believe that more studies are needed to establish a causal link.

The Stress of Mothers with Preterm Infants from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to Home: A Mixed Methods Study

Families of premature newborns hospitalized in intensive care tend to face fear and distress. After discharge, these families have different care needs, and some will continue to experience high levels of stress. Therefore, this study aimed to identify maternal stress levels and difficulties with at-home infant care using a parallel convergent mixed methods research design. Quantitative data were collected using the Parental Stress Scale (administered at a hospital) and the Parental Stress Index Scale (administered at a follow-up clinic) with 51 mothers of preterm infants in Brazil. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 mothers, randomly selected from the quantitative sample 3 to 6 months after discharge. Higher maternal stress scores and lower parenting confidence were associated with child hospitalization. However, family support helped mothers adapt to the new home care routine, empowering them to develop healthy maternal competence. Data integration showed that the sample and subsample presented similar stress levels.

The comparison of maternal stress level during pregnancy between two groups of pregnancy outcomes in the COVID-19 pandemic

HIGHLIGHTS Maternal stress level during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic had normal category. There was no difference of maternal stress level during pregnancy between good and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors can influence maternal stress level during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic. ABSTRACT Objective: This study analyzed the comparison of maternal stress levels during pregnancy between two groups of pregnancy outcomes in the COVID-19 pandemic at Koja Regional General Hospital, North Jakarta, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based analytic observational study conducted with a case-control approach, involving mothers giving birth in March-August 2022, aged 20–35, without disease histories such as hypertension, anemia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and tuberculosis. Two groups in this study had matched inclusion criteria, consisting of 24 respondents with adverse pregnancy outcomes in the case group and 34 respondents with good pregnancy outcomes in the control group. The sampling method used total population technique. Data were obtained from medical record and modification of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS42) questionnaire. Analysis of confounding variables used different tests and bivariate analysis using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Respondent characteristics had no difference (p &gt;0.05). Respondent distribution with normal levels in the control group (70.6%) was higher than in the case group (45.8%). The result of Mann-Whitney test was no different in maternal stress levels during pregnancy between the case and control groups with pregnancy outcomes in COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.102). Conclusion: Most maternal stress levels during pregnancy were in the normal category. There was no difference in maternal stress level during pregnancy between both groups in COVID-19 pandemic at Koja Regional General Hospital, North Jakarta, Indonesia.

Maternal hair cortisol predicts periodic and aperiodic infant frontal EEG activity longitudinally across infancy.

Maternal stress is known to be an important factor in shaping child development, yet the complex pattern of associations between stress and infant brain development remains understudied. To better understand the nuanced relations between maternal stress and infant neurodevelopment, research investigating longitudinal relations between maternal chronic physiological stress and infant brain function is warranted. In this study, we leveraged longitudinal data to disentangle between- from within-person associations of maternal hair cortisol and frontal electroencephalography (EEG) power at three time points across infancy at 3, 9, and 15months. We analyzed both aperiodic power spectral density (PSD) slope and traditional periodic frequency band activity. On the within-person level, maternal hair cortisol was associated with a flattening of frontal PSD slope and an increase in relative frontal beta. However, on the between-person level, higher maternal hair cortisol was associated with steeper frontal PSD slope, increased relative frontal theta, and decreased relative frontal beta. The within-person findings may reflect an adaptive neural response to relative shifts in maternal stress levels, while the between-person results demonstrate the potentially detrimental effects of chronically elevated maternal stress. This analysis offers a novel, quantitative insight into the relations between maternal physiological stress and infant cortical function.

Nerolidol Attenuates Diabetic Embryopathy in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Pregnant Rats by Reducing Embryonic and Maternal Oxidative Stress

Background Pregnancy complicated by diabetes leads to congenital disorders, spontaneous abortion, and neonatal morbidity and mortality, which are termed diabetic embryopathy or fetopathy. Objectives In this work, we planned to investigate the therapeutic potentials of nerolidol against streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic embryopathy in rats through attenuating maternal and fetal oxidative stress. Materials and Methods The male and female Wistar rats were allowed to mate for a night at a 1:1 ratio. After the confirmation of pregnancy, the rats were administered 40 mg/kg of STZ (i.p.) to initiate diabetes and treated with 20 and 40 mg/kg of nerolidol. The changes in food intake, body weight, blood glucose, and urine output were regularly monitored. The levels of lipid profiles were estimated using assay kits. The oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers in the liver tissues and embryonic fractions were measured using assay kits. Results The nerolidol treatment considerably depleted the blood glucose and urine output and augmented the body weight and diet intake in diabetic rats. The nerolidol suppressed the cholesterol (Ch), triglycerides (TG), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and elevated the high density lipoprotein (HDL) level in diabetic pregnant rats. The maternal and embryonic oxidative stress levels are effectively reduced by the nerolidol treatment by decreasing the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The levels of antioxidants were also increased by the nerolidol on both liver and embryonic fractions of diabetic pregnant rats. Conclusion Our results exhibited that the nerolidol treatment considerably reduced embryonic and maternal oxidative stress and embryonic deaths. Hence, it can be a hopeful therapeutic candidate to treat diabetic embryopathy.

Challenges In Tough Times: Portrait of Stress on Housewives and Mother with Dual Role

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in mothers taking on additional responsibilities for their children's at-home learning, leading to increased stress levels. This study aimed to determine the differences in maternal stress levels between housewives and mothers with multiple roles during the pandemic. A comparative quantitative method was used with 200 participants (100 housewives and 100 mothers with multiple roles), who were selected through snowball sampling and assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. The results showed no significant difference in stress levels between the two groups. This suggests that the stress experienced is a common concern for both housewives and mothers with multiple roles, and poses a risk to their mental health during the pandemic. This study highlights the need for support and resources to help mothers manage stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations for future research could include exploring specific stressors experienced by each group and developing targeted interventions to support maternal mental health. Additionally, it may be useful to evaluate the long-term impacts of the pandemic on maternal stress levels and the potential for resilience and recovery.

Parenting Stress in Mothers of Children with Permanent Hearing Impairment

Permanent childhood hearing impairment (PCHI) represents the most frequent sensory pathology at birth. PCHI has a relevant psychological impact on the life of both the affected children and their families. Thus, the aim of this work is to explore the degree of parental distress felt by mothers of a deaf or hard-of-hearing child, to determine if this stress is associated with variables related to the children's health (e.g., the severity of hearing loss, presence of other conditions, difficulty with treatment options, difficulty with rehabilitation) or family characteristics such as socio-economic and educational status. The study used the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) questionnaire administered to mothers. The results were analyzed in relation to variables such as parents' education level, number of children, severity of hearing loss, presence of other chronic conditions, presence of cognitive delay, familiarity with hearing loss, time of diagnosis, use of prosthetics, and start in a rehabilitation program. The data indicate a correlation between maternal stress levels and low-educational levels, as well as the presence of congenital infections and cognitive delay. These results highlight the need for a comprehensive physical and psychological approach for hearing-impaired children, as stress factors can affect the adherence to effective rehabilitation.

Prospective associations between various prenatal exposures to maternal psychological stress and neurodevelopment in children within 24 months after birth

BackgroundThere is increasing evidence that prenatal exposure to maternal psychological distress may be a factor influencing offspring neurodevelopment, but stress type-dependent effects of maternal psychological distress on offspring neurodevelopment in early childhood have yet to be fully elucidated. Additionally, although positive maternal mental health exerts potential effects in protecting against adverse health outcomes, few investigators have considered the effects of positive maternal mental health on offspring neurodevelopment in early childhood. AimsTo determine the associations between various prenatal exposures to maternal psychological distress and positive life-event experiences and offspring neurodevelopment within 24 months of age. MethodsA total of 4412 mother-child dyads were recruited from the Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort (Shanghai MCPC). Maternal perceived stress, negative life-event stress, positive life-event experiences around the time of conception (i.e., three months prior to and after conception) were assessed at 12–16 gestational weeks, and maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed at 32–36 gestational weeks. We measured children's neurodevelopment using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3) at two, six, 12, and 24 months postnatally. We then exploited generalized linear models to estimate the associations between prenatal maternal psychological distress and positive life-event experiences and children's neurodevelopment at the above periods, and generalized linear mixed models were applied to assess the associations between maternal psychological distress and positive life-event experiences and suspected developmental delay (SDD) in children within 24 months after birth based on a longitudinal design. ResultsMaternal perceived stress and negative life-event stress around the time of conception, and anxiety and depressive symptoms during late pregnancy were negatively associated with scores of children's neurodevelopment at two, six, 12, and 24 months of age; while maternal life-event experiences were positively associated with scores of children's neurodevelopment. Longitudinal analysis revealed that higher levels of maternal negative life-event stress and depressive symptoms augmented the risk of SDD in personal-social (OR = 1.435, 1.681). Mothers who experienced higher levels of positive life-event experiences exhibited a reduced risk of SDD in gross motor and personal-social domains (OR = 0.373, 0.350). ConclusionsPrenatal exposure to maternal psychological distress is negatively associated with children's neurodevelopment in early childhood depending upon the type of distress. Maternal positive life-event experiences around the time of conception appeared to present potential benefits for child neurodevelopment.