The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 49 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Oxytocin during pregnancy and early postpartum: Individual patterns and maternal-fetal attachment
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), a nanopeptide hormone, plays a role in the emergence of maternal behavior, yet few studies examined OT in humans across pregnancy and the postpartum. We followed healthy women at three points: first trimester of pregnancy, third trimester, and first postpartum month. Plasma OT levels showed high individual stability. A third of the sample showed consistent OT levels, whereas others showed increasing or decreasing trends or peak in late pregnancy. The increase in OT from early to late pregnancy correlated with higher maternal-fetal bonding. These data may help set standards for OT levels and underscore links with maternal-infant attachment.
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In the citing paper
“Skin-to-skin contact immediately following birth promoted greater oxytocin levels in fathers as well (Cong et al., 2015) demonstrating a possible biological mechanism for healthy parent-infant attachment (Levine et al., 2007).”
From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Levine et al. (2007)
In the citing paper
“The high stability in OT levels across a period of several months and the links reported between plasma OT with socioemotional and behavioral indicators of affiliation (27,28,30,39,67–69) support the validity of peripheral OT as a biomarker of affiliation processes.”
From Oxytocin and the development of parenting in humans (2010) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“A study that followed maternal OT levels from early pregnancy to the postpartum showed that a significant increase from the first to the third trimester was associated with the degree of the mother’s emotional bonding to her fetus (27).”
From Oxytocin and the development of parenting in humans (2010) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“When longitudinal changes in basal OT concentrations have been reported, such changes appear to be relatively small in magnitude (27,42).”
From Oxytocin and the development of parenting in humans (2010) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“Mothers with a rising pattern of plasma OT reported higher maternal fetal attachment in the postpartum (Levine et al., 2007)”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Levine et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“This highly conserved neuropeptide promotes bonding behaviors and attachments, such as the mother-infant bond, in human and non-human mammals [3], [4].”
From A direct examination of the effect of intranasal administration of oxytocin on approach-avoidance motor responses to emotional stimuli (2013) · cites this paper as [4]
In the citing paper
“this finding fits with the crucial function of OT as a female hormone in labor, bonding and parenting both in human- [54], [4] and non-human mammals [55]”
From A direct examination of the effect of intranasal administration of oxytocin on approach-avoidance motor responses to emotional stimuli (2013) · cites this paper as [4]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Levine, A., Zagoory-Sharon, O., Feldman, R., & Weller, A.
- Affiliations
- Bar-Ilan University (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Weller, Aron
- Venue
- Peptides
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-06
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1162-1169
- ISSN
- 0196-9781 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2158037437
- Semantic Scholar
- f07ca1e6d2ac1929b0704f7e13376d98e1956a6d
- Cited by
- 315
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 16.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Peptides (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- oxytocin, pregnancy, postpartum period, maternal-fetal attachment, maternal-infant attachment, plasma oxytocin, interindividual variability, maternal behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Maternal Behavior, Oxytocin, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, First, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Radioimmunoassay, Maternal-Fetal Relations, Postpartum Period
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