Mother-fetus Relationship Research Articles

Effect of Plasmodium berghei infection on fetuses in pregnant BALB/c mice at two periods of pregnancy

Malaria is a disease caused by a protozoan of the genus Plasmodium in humans and vertebrates. It has a high morbidity and mortality rate, especially in pregnant women living in countries with high transmission rates. Murine models have been an excellent tool to evaluate the effects of malarial infection in the mother-fetus relationship. For this reason, we evaluated the effect of malarial infection on fetal development at the beginning and middle of the gestational period in BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Our results show that malarial infection at the beginning of pregnancy markedly affects the development of the fetus in size, weight, and development of its limbs so that the control of the pregnant mother is relevant at the beginning of gestation

The Association between Plasma ERVWE1 Concentrations and Affective Symptoms during Pregnancy: Is This a Friendly Alien?

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) comprise 8% of the human genome, and HERV DNA was reported to be essential in human embryonic development. Specifically, HERV-W encodes a protein, syncytin-1, alternatively known as ERVWE1 (Human Endogenous Retrovirus W EnvC7-1 Envelope Protein), participating in human placental morphogenesis and having a role in immune system regulation. Syncytin-1 activity is increased in neuropsychiatric disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In our study, forty-four women in the third trimester of pregnancy were tested for ERVWE1 plasma levels. In concomitance with blood samples the following rating scales were administered to women: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), and Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI). We found that higher ERVWE1 protein plasma levels were significantly associated with higher PAI scores (p = 0.02), an earlier gestational age at the time of blood collection (p = 0.01), a longer duration of symptoms (p = 0.03), and fewer lifetime attempted suicides (p = 0.02). Our results seem to support the role of ERVWE1 in maintaining clinical psychiatric symptoms as a result of potential prolonged inflammation. At the same time, this protein may have a protective role in pregnant women by a reduction of suicidal behavior and a better mother–fetus relationship.

Blind Analysis of Food-Related IgG Identifies Five Possible Nutritional Clusters for the Italian Population: Future Implications for Pregnancy and Lactation.

Background: The influence of diet in pregnant women on the immune tolerance process is intricate. Food-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) was associated with exposure to particular food antigens. The IgG antibodies can cross the placental barrier and enter into the colostrum, and maternal IgG is amply present in breast milk. This justifies studying the immunological connection between food-specific IgG antibodies and the mother–fetus relationship. This study was designed to analyze food-specific IgG concentrations and possible food-specific IgG concentration clusters in a large cohort of subjects with a common food culture. Methods: Food-specific IgG antibody concentrations were detected in 18,012 Caucasian or Southern European subjects over 18 years of age. We used an unsupervised hierarchical clustering algorithm to explore varying degrees of similarity among food-specific IgG antibodies. Results: We identified five food groups by the evaluation of food-specific IgG values: one includes foods with a high nickel content, the second cluster is associated with gluten, the third cluster includes dairy products, the fourth one is connected to fermented foods, and the last group is correlated with cooked oils. Discussion: The knowledge derived from studying a large sample allows us to determine food-specific IgG values from a single pregnant woman, compare it to an epidemic standard, and establish modifications required in her lifestyle to modulate her nutritional habits.

Psychological and social consequences of surrogacy in surrogate mother and the resulted child: a review study

Introduction: One of the new assisted reproductive techniques is surrogacy, and the rate of using this technique is rising. However, the psychological and social consequences of this technique have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this review study was performed with aim to investigate these outcomes following surrogacy in surrogate mother and child. Methods: In this review study, to find the related articles between1990-2018, Persian databases of SID and Magiran and English databases of Pubmed, Scopus, Elsevier, Wiley online library, Web Of Science, and Google Scholar search engine were searched. To access all articles in Persian and English, the Persian keywords including: surrogate mother, mother-child relationship, mother-fetus relationship, relationship, psychological outcome, social outcome and English keywords including Surrogate mother, surrogacy, Maternal -Fetal relationships, mother-child relationships, surrogates' family, bonding, attachment, psychology outcome, social outcome, with all possible combinations of these words were used. From 500 articles, 18 articles were eligible for research and were selected for this study. Results: The results of various studies indicated that the birth of the child for surrogate mothers and applicant’s family is a stressful phenomenon that can lead to depression in surrogate mother. There was no significant difference between children born as surrogacy and normal children in terms of evolution, psychological and social dimensions. The results of personality tests and psychological variables were normal in most surrogate mothers and no serious psychological harms were observed. Conclusion: In general, surrogacy is considered to be a positive experience in most mothers. Born children also have a good feeling to their surrogate mothers and have no psychological differences with normal children. Of course, it's important to note that differences in the culture of the countries, their experiences and supportive systems may affect psychological and social consequences of surrogacy.

Előzetes eredmények egy magyar mintán kidolgozott Intrauterin Kapcsolati Kérdőív méréses tapasztalatairól – pilot study

Elméleti háttér Az 1980-as évektől kutatják az „anyai környezet” magzati fejlődésre gyakorolt hatását, ám az eredmények nem konzekvensek az anya–magzat kapcsolatot befolyásoló tényezőket illetően. Cél Magyar mintán kialakítani egy anya–magzat kapcsolatot mérő kérdőívet, valamint feltárni az intrauterin kötődésben meghatározó szerepet játszó jellegzetességeket. Módszerek 114, 15 és 38 gesztációs hét közötti várandós anya vett részt a kutatásban, kitöltve az Intrauterin Kapcsolati Kérdőívet, a Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale magyar változatát (MFAS-HU), az Intimitás és a Szülői Bánásmód Kérdőívet. Eredmények A kialakított 28 tételes Intrauterin Kapcsolati Kérdőív (IUKK) faktorstruktúrája illeszkedési mutatókban az elvárások alatt marad (RMSEA = 0,08; χ2/df = 1,645; NFI = 0,85; CFI = 0,87). A 8 alskála Cronbach-alfa értékei 0,56–0,93 közöttiek. Explorátoros faktorelemezéssel sikerült egy jó kommunalitási tulajdonságokkal rendelkező rövidebb modellt kialakítani (IUKK–R), amely 12 tételt és 3 alskálát tartalmaz (RMSEA = 0,08; χ2/df = 1,660; NFI = 0,95; CFI = 0,96). Az IUKK–R Cronbach-alfa értékei magasak: 0,81–0,93. Elemzéseinkhez az IUKK–R modellt használtuk. Kérdőívünk korrelál az MFAS–HU-val, ugyanakkor a megragadott magzati kötődés dimenzióik nem teljesen átfedőek. A nemzetközi tapasztalatokkal nagyjából összhangban, az anya–magzat kapcsolat erősségében szignifikánsan magasabb értéket ér el az anya, ha bármelyik tényező jellemzi: házasságban él; magasabb az anyagi hozzájárulása a családi kasszához; nem volt korábban spontán vetélése, ő maga beavatkozástól mentesen, természetes módon született; biztosan tudja, vagy nem tudja a magzat nemét. Nem befolyásol a várandósság ideje, az iskolai végzettség, a várandósság tervezettsége, a fogantatás módja, a meglévő gyermekek száma és a magzatmozgás észlelése. A magzati kötődés összefügg a párkapcsolati intimitással: az észlelt gondoskodás kedvezőbb, míg az észlelt kontroll kedvezőtlenebb anya–magzat kötődéssel jár együtt. Az anya saját szüleivel való kapcsolatának megélése, az anyai és apai szeretet, pozitívan korrelál a saját magzatához fűződő kapcsolattal. Következtetések A magyar mintára kidolgozott kérdőív megbízhatósága ígéretes, de szükségesek további validitásvizsgálatok, nagyobb, heterogén mintán. Tapasztalataink felhívják a figyelmet a szülői bánásmód és a párkapcsolati gondoskodás jelentőségére a várandósság időszakában és gyakorlati relevanciával bírnak a prevenciós munkában.

A study on maternal-fetal attachment in pregnant women undergoing fetal echocardiography

Purpose: To investigate the possible effects of the fetal echocardiography experience on the prenatal attachment process. The predictive effect of specific women’s psychological variables will be explored as well. Design and methods: This between groups study involved 85 women with pregnancy at risk who underwent the fetal echocardiography, and 83 women who were about to undergo the morphological scan. The tools employed were: the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (P.A.I.) to explore the maternal-fetal attachment; the Maternity Social Support Scale to investigate the woman perception of being socially supported during pregnancy; both the Big Five Questionnaire and the FACES III to explore the personality traits of pregnant women and their perception of their couple relationship functioning. Findings: The outcomes of ANOVA do not show statistically significant differences between the two groups of the mothers-to-be with regard to the scores of the P.A.I. (F = .017; p = .897; η 2 = .000), while the regression analysis of the possible effect of the maternal psychological variables on the mother-fetus relationship shows a statistically significant result only with regard to the “social support” variable (r 2 = .061; df = 80; p = .025). Conclusions: It would seem that the process of the prenatal attachment develops independently whether the woman has to undergo a first level screening or a second level examination such as the fetal echocardiography.

Medicina Fetal: actualidad

En las últimas décadas existe especial interés en el feto, lo que ha originado un gran avance en la investigación por distintas especialidades de la medicina, sustentado en gran medida por el desarrollo de las aplicaciones fetales de la ecografía, que permiten obtener evidencias claras del diagnóstico de complicaciones. Adicionalmente, hay un avance tecnológico importante en el estudio del material genético del feto en muestras fetales directas u obtenidas de la circulación materna, y se han desarrollado intervenciones que están mejorando el pronóstico pre y posnatal. Estos avances configuran una nueva especialidad médica multidisciplinaria que considera al feto como un paciente individual y en relación con su madre, estableciéndose tratamientos profilácticos, terapéutica médica directa o través de la madre, intervenciones guiadas por ecografía, cirugías abiertas (limitada) y fetoscópicas, con ventajas a los tratamientos convencionales. Esta realidad obliga a revisar aspectos éticos y legales relacionados al no nacido, a cambios tanto en la organización de los servicios de salud, como en la currícula del pre y post grado de los nuevos profesionales.

Postgenomics and Biolegitimacy: Legitimation Work in Transnational Surrogacy

ABSTRACTMuch has been said about the globalisation of reproduction and the manner in which reproductive labour, biological material, gametes, and babies are increasingly commodified within the global reproductive economy. In interaction with national policies and law, such economies structure the ways in which reproduction is legitimated, governed, and regulated. This article explores how new research in biology – also known as ‘postgenomic research’ or ‘the new biologies’ – is called upon in the legitimation work of surrogacy. It is suggested that attention to these new biologies will bring non-reductive and non-deterministic understandings of the mother–fetus relationship and therefore revalue the surrogate. I demonstrate through an engagement with recent research that investigates the implementation of postgenomic knowledge that such optimism might be premature. As the strong pull to regulate the globalisation of surrogacy is inextricably linked to an increasingly biomedicalised legitimacy that privileges a right to reproduce, I propose that postcolonial perspectives on such biolegitimacies can provide a more relational account of how biology matters in the regulation of a globalising reproductive economy.

Psychometric evaluation and refinement of the Prenatal Attachment Inventory

Objective: To explore the underlying structure of the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) and to assess the psychometric properties of the subscales. Background: The establishment of the mother–fetus relationship is an important developmental task for successful adaption to pregnancy, with implications for the well-being of mother and child. The PAI was developed to measure the relationship between a women and her fetus. Although originally developed as a single dimension, other researchers have suggested alternative factor structures. Methods: A self-report questionnaire, including the PAI, was administered to 775 Swedish women in late pregnancy. Psychometric assessment of the PAI was undertaken using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Rasch analysis. Results: EFA indicated a three-factor solution, which was confirmed by CFA. The previously reported single-factor and five-factor solutions were not supported. Rasch analysis was used to form three 6-item PAI-Revised subscales (Anticipation, Interaction, Differentiation). All subscales showed good overall fit to the Rasch model and good internal consistency. The three subscales were moderately intercorrelated, sharing between 23% and 42% of their variance, suggesting they should be used separately, pending further research concerning their unique predictive power. Conclusion: These results suggest that PAI-Revised is a psychometrically sound tool, suitable for use in research and clinical settings. It can be used to guide the identification, support, and follow-up of pregnant women with low attachment. The three subscales, although related, may tap different aspects of the attachment construct, with different antecedents and consequences for the well-being of mother and child.

Determinants of maternal fetal attachment in women from a community-based sample

BackgroundMaternal fetal attachment (MFA) has been found to be an important predictor for the developing relationship between mother and child. During the last decades, research on determinants of MFA has yielded inconclusive and even contradictory results. Until now, a process model in which multiple determinants of MFA are studied concurrently has been lacking. The present study evaluates a process model (based on Belsky’s model of parenting) in which the specific contributions of parental, contextual, and expected child characteristics to MFA were examined.MethodsParticipants, 351 pregnant women from a community-based sample, completed questionnaires concerning their personality, attachment security, partner support, perceived stress, expected child temperament, and MFA at 26 weeks gestational age. Based on Belsky’s model, a set of competing structural equation models were formulated and evaluated with path analysis.ResultsMFA was found to be multiply determined by parental, contextual, and expected child characteristics. These factors explained 19% of the variance in MFA. Pregnant women who were more extrovert, conscientious and agreeable reported having higher levels of MFA. In contrast, those women who perceived more stress and expected having an infant with a dull temperament reported lower levels of MFA.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the theoretical framework of Belsky’s model is applicable for explaining variations in the quality of the mother–fetus relationship in the pregnancy period. More knowledge of the determinants of MFA could help to identify mothers at risk for developing suboptimal feelings of attachment.

A ultrassonografia obstétrica e suas implicações para a relação materno-fetal

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar as implicações emocionais da ultrassonografia obstétrica para a relação materno-fetal, no contexto de normalidade fetal. Participaram 11 gestantes primíparas, com idades entre 18 e 35 anos e idades gestacional entre 11 e 24 semanas, que estavam sendo submetidas pela primeira vez à ultrassonografia. Elas responderam a uma entrevista semiestruturada e à Escala de Apego Materno-Fetal, antes e depois do exame. Análise de conteúdo qualitativa das entrevistas mostrou que a ultrassonografia, além de modificar a visão da mãe sobre o bebê, que passou a vê-lo de uma forma mais real e concreta, intensificou os comportamentos de interação mãe-bebê, ou seja, ampliou as diferentes maneiras de interagir e fortificou os sentimentos maternos, fazendo com que a mãe se sentisse mais apropriada de seu papel. Análise estatística revelou um aumento significativo na média dos escores da escala de apego após o exame. Juntos, os resultados indicam que a ultrassonografia parece ter exercido um impacto importante nas gestantes influenciando a relação mãe-bebê.Palavras-chave: ultrassonografia; relação materno-fetal; normalidade fetal.

Some societal and historical scientific considerations regarding the mother–fetus relationship and parenthood

AbstractPregnancy includes the mother–fetus relationship, the father–fetus relationship and the transition to parenthood; it is an important phase in the life of the couple. However, pregnancy cannot be studied in isolation as influences from society and science and their interaction need to be taken into account. To begin with, some societal considerations on the maternal–fetal relationship and the transition to motherhood are described, namely, in what way ideas about the Right Way to mother and societal ambivalence regarding motherhood/parenthood may influence the experience of being pregnant and becoming/being a parent. Next, looking back over 100 years of study of fetal behaviour gives rise to questions such as what was/is the right time to ask/answer scientific questions about fetal behaviour and whether maternal emotions can affect the fetus? We conclude that although significant progress has been made in the study of fetal psychology, much basic empirical work still needs to be done before we have a more complete understanding of the complex interactions between the pregnant woman and her fetus. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

De prenatale moeder-kind relatie in onderzoek

The prenatal mother-child relationship in research The importance of the maternal-fetal relationship has been recognized during the last decades. It has been suggested that the realization of this relationship reflects a successful psychological adaptation to the pregnancy and may lower the offspring’s vulnerability to develop psychopathology in later life, but empirical research demonstrating these suggestions is only scantly available. The development of psychometric sound scales to measure this relationship can be a first step in filling this gap. In this article we define the concept of motherfetus relationship and give an overview of scales measuring this concept. The construction and reliability of frequently used scales – the Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS), the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS), the Antenatal Maternal Attachment Scale (AMAS) - are described. We summarize findings of studies that used these scales to investigate the influence of several factors on the mother-fetus relationship. Psychosocial support, the experience of quickening of the fetus and the age of gestation seem to positively affect the prenatal mother-fetus relationship. No consistent results were found for demographic variables (age, education, socioeconomic status, race), anxiety, stress or depression during pregnancy, self-respect, choice of food, pregnancy at risk, planning of pregnancy and earlier perinatal loss of a baby. The studies are critically reviewed and some suggestions for further research are provided.

Is Delayed Childbearing Changing Gene Frequencies in Western Populations?

Experimental data and clinical observations suggest that delaying childbearing influences the biology of the mother-fetus relationship, with a negative effect on fetal development and predisposition to severe diseases such as type 1 diabetes. We reason that advanced maternal age may influence intrauterine selection, favoring genotypes that are more adapted to the intrauterine environment of less young women. In the present study we have investigated the relationship of maternal age to HP genotype and PGM1-Rh area (chromosome 1) that have been previously found to be associated with fertility and developmental parameters. HP phenotype was determined in 679 consecutive puerperae from the population of central Italy. PGM1 phenotype and Rh C phenotype were determined in 222 puerperae and 200 newborns. The HP 1,1 phenotype decreases and the HP 2,2 phenotype increases with maternal age. The proportion of phenotypes carrying both the Rh C and PGM1*1 alleles is much higher in puerperae older than 36 years than in puerperae of age 22 years. The frequency of the PGM1*1-Rh C haplotype increases and the frequency of the PGM1*2-Rh C haplotype decreases with maternal age. The changes in these genetic systems with advancing maternal age are similar in mothers and newborns. The delay of childbearing age, associated in Western countries with the fertility transition in addition to detrimental effects on intrauterine development and increased susceptibility to severe disorders, could bring about changes in the genetic composition of a population.

Circadian Rhythms in Infants

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe how circadian rhythms are generated. 2. Describe how lighting influences the circadian system. 3. Delineate the period during which the origin of circadian rhythms develops. 4. Describe the relationship between maternal circadian rhythms and the development of circadian rhythms in infants. 5. Characterize the potential sequelae of impaired fetal and early neonatal circadian rhythms related to sleep patterns. 6. Describe beneficial lighting patterns for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care nursery. Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated rhythms that have a period length of about 24 hours. Evidence gathered over the past decade indicates that the circadian timing system develops prenatally, with the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the anterior hypothalamus, the site of a circadian clock, present by mid-gestation in primates. Recent evidence also shows that the circadian system of primate infants is responsive to light at very early stages (as early as 25 to 28 weeks’ gestation in humans) and that low-intensity lighting can regulate the developing clock. After birth, circadian system outputs mature progressively, with rhythms in sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, and hormone production generally developing between 1 and 3 months of age. The importance of light in regulation of circadian rhythm in infants is highlighted by the early establishment of rest-activity patterns that are in phase with the 24-hour light-dark cycle in preterm infants exposed to low-intensity cycled lighting. With the continued elucidation of circadian system development and influences on human physiology and illness, it is anticipated that consideration of circadian biology will become an increasingly important component of neonatal care. ### The Circadian Timing System Notable examples of circadian rhythms include the sleep-wake cycle and daily rhythms in body temperature and hormone production. Circadian rhythms are also involved in the pathogenesis of illnesses, such as reactive airway disease (eg, asthma) and myocardial infarction. The system responsible …

Toxic and essential elements in placentas of swedish women

Objectives: To evaluate interactions between toxic and essential elements in the mother–fetus relationship and possible predictors of trace element concentrations in placenta and cord blood. Design and methods: A group of 106 Swedish women was investigated for concentrations of cadmium, lead, and several essential elements in placenta as well as cadmium, lead, zinc, and selenium in venous blood collected at gestational week (gw) 36 and umbilical cord blood. Relations between these elements and maternal and child’s characteristics were examined. Results: The concentrations of cadmium in placenta ranged from 10 to 170 nmol/kg, with the median value (Md) being 46 nmol/kg. Cord blood cadmium (Md of 0.19 nmol/L) was only about 10% of that in maternal blood. Smokers had significantly higher cadmium concentrations in blood (p < 0.001) and placenta ( p = 0.001) than non-smokers. The median placental concentration of lead was 26 nmol/kg (range 0–630 nmol/kg). The lead levels in cord blood (Md of 54 nmol/L) were almost the same as in maternal blood. Statistically significant negative associations were found between cord blood lead, on one hand, and child’s weight, length, and head circumference, on the other. The placental levels (medians and ranges) of the essential elements (μmol/kg) were 160 (120–280) for zinc, 2.4 (2.0–3.3) for selenium, 15 (10–20) for copper, 0.084 (0.02–0.32) for cobalt, 0.055 (0.03–0.12) for molybdenum, and 1.2 (0.65–5.1) for manganese, respectively. Several of the essential elements in placenta correlated significantly with each other. Multiparous mothers had significantly lower concentrations of zinc ( p = 0.002) and selenium ( p = 0.049) in serum as well as zinc ( p = 0.001) and calcium ( p = 0.004) in placenta than nulliparous ones. Also, cord blood zinc decreased with parity. Conclusions: The results showed that lead, but not cadmium crossed easily the placental barrier. There were no negative effects of cadmium on the zinc status. Cord blood lead, on the other hand, was a negative predictor of child’s birth weight, length and head circumference, indicating that lead might have negative influence on growth in children even at very low exposure levels. There was a depletion of maternal stores of essential elements with increasing parity.

The politics of pregnancy: policy dilemmas in the maternal-fetal relationship

Contents Reproductive Technology: Pregnant Women, the Fetus, and the Courts * The Moral Permissibility of in Utero(in ital.) Experimentation * Good, Bad, and Captive Samaritans: Adding-In Pregnancy and Consent to the Abortion Debate * Webster and the Rights to Life * Caring for the Fetus to Protect the Born Child? Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Coerced Obstetrical Intervention * What Is the Purpose of Neonatal Drug Testing? Towards a Rational Social Policy * The War at Home: Positivism, Law, and the Prosecution of Pregnant Women * At Women's Expense: The Costs of Rights * Analyzing Employer Motives: Evaluating the Scientific Evidence Upon Which Protection Policies Were Based * Who Is Protected? What's Wrong With Exclusionary Policies * Women's Rights vs. Fetal Rights: Politics, Law and Reproductive Hazards in the Workplace * In the Interest of the Fetus Mandatory Prenatal Classes in the Workplace * Surrogate Motherhood: Implications for the Mother-Fetus Relationship * Reference Notes Included * Index

Surrogate motherhood: Implications for the mother-fetus relationship

Surrogate motherhood: Implications for the mother-fetus relationship

Are pregnant women fetal containers?

Purdy explores the argument that women's rights to control their bodies should be subordinated to the welfare of their fetuses. She gives examples ofinstances where women's decisions about pregnancy and childbirth have been overridden by physicians and judges. She examines the nature of the mother fetus relationship, the social context of the current conflict between maternal and fetal rights, and the extent of a woman's legally enforceable duty to her fetus. Purdy acknowledges that women may owe a reasonable duty to their fetuses to try to prevent disease or handicap. However, given the uncertainties of modern medicine, the value-laden nature of many physicians' decisions, and the lack of adequate adequate prenatal care, women should not be held responsible for situations that are due largely to society's shortcomings. Purdy concludes that it is unjust to use the law to coerce women into accepting medical advice.