@misc{10481/58718,
year = {2019},
month = {11},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10481/58718},
abstract = {Background: Maternal stress during pregnancy can affect fetal development during
certain sensitive periods. Objective: To longitudinally assess maternal hair cortisol levels during
pregnancy, and the postpartum along with neonatal hair cortisol levels that could be associated
with infant neurodevelopment at six months of age. Methods: A sample of 41 pregnant women
longitudinally assessed during the first, second, and third trimester and the postpartum, along
with their 41 full-term neonates participated in this study. Hair cortisol levels were assessed from
participants. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed by means of the Bayley Scale of Infants
Development, Third Edition at age six months. Results: Maternal hair cortisol levels in the first
and second trimester accounted for 24% and 23%, respectively, of variance of infant gross motor
development (p < 0.05). Maternal hair cortisol levels during the postpartum accounted for 31%
of variance of infant cognitive development (p < 0.05), and 25% of variance of infant gross motor
development (p < 0.05). Neonatal hair cortisol levels accounted for 28% of variance of infant gross
motor development (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The preconception and prenatal time are sensitive
periods related to infant neurodevelopment along with the cortisol levels surrounding the fetus
while in the womb. Pregnant women could be assessed for hair cortisol levels while attending
a prenatal appointment.},
organization = {This work was supported by the I+D Project “PSI2015-63494-P” of the Spanish Ministry of Science and
Innovation; co-supported by funds/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)   a way to build Europe (MIPR).
In addition, B.R.-G. has been awarded with an individual research grant (Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry
and Competitiveness, FPI Program (research professional training Program), reference number BES-2016-077619).},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Pregnancy},
keywords = {Cortisol},
keywords = {Stress},
keywords = {Infant},
keywords = {Neurodevelopment},
title = {Maternal and Neonatal Hair Cortisol Levels Are Associated with Infant Neurodevelopment at Six Months of Age},
doi = {10.3390/jcm8112015},
author = {Caparrós González, Rafael Arcángel and Romero González, Borja and González Pérez, Raquel},
}