Cited by 628Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumStress Responses and CortisolChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Prenatal exposure to maternal depression and cortisol influences infant temperament

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DAVIS, ELYSIA POGGI, GLYNN, LAURA M., SCHETTER, CHRISTINE DUNKEL, HOBEL, CALVIN, CHICZ-DEMET, ALEKSANDRA, SANDMAN, CURT A.·2007·Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Accumulating evidence indicates that prenatal maternal and fetal processes can have a lasting influence on infant and child development. Results from animal models indicate that prenatal exposure to maternal stress and stress hormones has lasting consequences for development of the offspring. Few prospective studies of human pregnancy have examined the consequences of prenatal exposure to stress and stress hormones.Method In this study the effects of prenatal maternal psychosocial (anxiety, depression, and perceived stress) and endocrine (cortisol) indicators of stress on infant temperament were examined in a sample of 247 full-term infants. Maternal salivary cortisol and psychological state were evaluated at 18-20, 24-26, and 30-32 weeks of gestation and at 2 months postpartum. Infant temperament was assessed with a measure of negative reactivity (the fear subscale of the Infant Temperament Questionnaire) at 2 months of age.Results Elevated maternal cortisol at 30-32 weeks of gestation, but not earlier in pregnancy, was significantly associated with greater maternal report of infant negative reactivity. Prenatal maternal anxiety and depression additionally predicted infant temperament. The associations between maternal cortisol and maternal depression remained after controlling for postnatal maternal psychological state.Conclusions These data suggest that prenatal exposure to maternal stress has consequences for the development of infant temperament.

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Crossref · 10.1097/chi.0b013e318047b775

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Authors
DAVIS, E. P., GLYNN, L. M., SCHETTER, C. D., HOBEL, C., CHICZ-DEMET, A., & SANDMAN, C. A.
Affiliations
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
DAVIS, ELYSIA POGGI
Venue
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2007-06
Volume
46
Issue
6
Pages
737-746
ISSN
0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1975971091
Cited by
628
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 46 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 45
FWCI
26.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
NIH (HD28413, NS-41298)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
prenatal stress, maternal depression, maternal anxiety, maternal cortisol, infant temperament, negative reactivity, fear, salivary cortisol, pregnancy, developmental origins of health and disease
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infant, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Prospective Studies, Stress, Psychological, Temperament, Infant Behavior, Fetal Development

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