Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 Dec;38(12):3092-101. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.09.006. Epub 2013 Sep 14.
Maternal exposure to significant prenatal stress can negatively affect infant neurobiological development and increase the risk for developmental and health disturbances. These effects may be pronounced in low SES and ethnic minority families. We explored prenatal partner support as a buffer of the impact of prenatal stress on cortisol reactivity of infants born to low-income Mexican American women. Women (N=220; age 18-42; 84% Spanish-speaking; 89% foreign born; modal family income $10,000-$15,000) reported on economic stress and satisfaction with spousal/partner support during the prenatal period (26-38 weeks gestation), and infant salivary cortisol reactivity to mildly challenging mother-infant interaction tasks was assessed at women's homes at six weeks postpartum. Multilevel models estimated the interactive effect of prenatal stress and partner support on cortisol reactivity, controlling for covariates and potential confounds. Infants born to mothers who reported high prenatal stress and low partner support exhibited higher cortisol reactivity relative to those whose mothers reported high support or low stress. The effects did not appear to operate through birth outcomes. For low-income Mexican American women, partner support may buffer the impact of prenatal stress on infant cortisol reactivity, potentially promoting more adaptive infant health and development.
母亲在孕期受到严重的压力会对婴儿的神经生物学发育产生负面影响，并增加发育和健康障碍的风险。这些影响在社会经济地位较低和少数族裔家庭中可能更为明显。我们探讨了孕期伴侣支持作为缓冲孕期压力对低收入的墨西哥裔美国妇女所生孩子皮质醇反应的影响的作用。研究对象为 220 名女性（年龄 18-42 岁；84%会讲西班牙语；89%为外国出生；家庭收入中位数为 10000-15000 美元），她们在孕期（妊娠 26-38 周）报告了经济压力和对配偶/伴侣支持的满意度，并且在产后六周时在女性家中评估了婴儿对轻度挑战性母婴互动任务的唾液皮质醇反应。多水平模型估计了孕期压力和伴侣支持对皮质醇反应的交互作用，控制了协变量和潜在的混杂因素。与报告高支持或低压力的母亲所生的婴儿相比，报告高孕期压力和低伴侣支持的母亲所生的婴儿皮质醇反应更高。这些影响似乎不是通过出生结局起作用的。对于低收入的墨西哥裔美国妇女来说，伴侣支持可能会缓冲孕期压力对婴儿皮质醇反应的影响，从而促进更适应的婴儿健康和发育。
