Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis
Background and objectives: Chronic activation of the stress system has cumulative effects on the body, and it places individuals at risk for adverse health outcomes. Chronic stress has been assessed by health questionnaires in pregnancy. During the perinatal period, mothers experience increased phys...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7686 |
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| author | Alkis Matsas Panagiota Panopoulou Neofyta Antoniou Alexandra Bargiota Alexandros Gryparis Nikolaos Vrachnis George Mastorakos Sophia N. Kalantaridou Theodoros Panoskaltsis Nikos F. Vlahos Georgios Valsamakis |
| author_facet | Alkis Matsas Panagiota Panopoulou Neofyta Antoniou Alexandra Bargiota Alexandros Gryparis Nikolaos Vrachnis George Mastorakos Sophia N. Kalantaridou Theodoros Panoskaltsis Nikos F. Vlahos Georgios Valsamakis |
| author_sort | Alkis Matsas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and objectives: Chronic activation of the stress system has cumulative effects on the body, and it places individuals at risk for adverse health outcomes. Chronic stress has been assessed by health questionnaires in pregnancy. During the perinatal period, mothers experience increased physical and emotional demands. Chronic stress interferes with hormonal functions in mothers and infants. This meta-analysis studies the effect of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy, as assessed by established stress questionnaires, on the birth weight of their full-term infants. Design and methods: According to our criteria and after research collection, we obtained 107 studies and we conducted two types of analyses: a logistic (N = 22,342) and linear regression analysis (N = 7431). Results: Our results show that chronic stress is associated with a statistically significant risk of low birth weight (OR = 1.50, CI 95% = [1.13; 1.99], <i>p</i> ≤ 0.02).Conclusions: Increased maternal chronic stress, as assessed by questionnaires, in pregnancy is associated with a low-birth-weight baby. The above meta-analysis indicates that maternal high chronic stress questionnaire scores could be used as a clinical tool in order to assess low-birth-weight risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:38:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2dc3777fed1b4ac4ac04a51f3f604d90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:38:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-2dc3777fed1b4ac4ac04a51f3f604d902023-12-22T14:17:26ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-12-011224768610.3390/jcm12247686Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-AnalysisAlkis Matsas0Panagiota Panopoulou1Neofyta Antoniou2Alexandra Bargiota3Alexandros Gryparis4Nikolaos Vrachnis5George Mastorakos6Sophia N. Kalantaridou7Theodoros Panoskaltsis8Nikos F. Vlahos9Georgios Valsamakis10Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceThird Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1 Rimini Street, Chaidari, 12462 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disorders, University Hospital of Larissa, Medical School of Larissa, University of Thessaly, 41334 Larissa, GreeceDepartment of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Goudi, 11527 Athens, GreeceThird Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1 Rimini Street, Chaidari, 12462 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceThird Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1 Rimini Street, Chaidari, 12462 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 76 Vasilisis Sofias Avenue, 11528 Athens, GreeceBackground and objectives: Chronic activation of the stress system has cumulative effects on the body, and it places individuals at risk for adverse health outcomes. Chronic stress has been assessed by health questionnaires in pregnancy. During the perinatal period, mothers experience increased physical and emotional demands. Chronic stress interferes with hormonal functions in mothers and infants. This meta-analysis studies the effect of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy, as assessed by established stress questionnaires, on the birth weight of their full-term infants. Design and methods: According to our criteria and after research collection, we obtained 107 studies and we conducted two types of analyses: a logistic (N = 22,342) and linear regression analysis (N = 7431). Results: Our results show that chronic stress is associated with a statistically significant risk of low birth weight (OR = 1.50, CI 95% = [1.13; 1.99], <i>p</i> ≤ 0.02).Conclusions: Increased maternal chronic stress, as assessed by questionnaires, in pregnancy is associated with a low-birth-weight baby. The above meta-analysis indicates that maternal high chronic stress questionnaire scores could be used as a clinical tool in order to assess low-birth-weight risk.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7686chronic stressbirth weightpregnancyperinatal periodstress questionnaires |
| spellingShingle | Alkis Matsas Panagiota Panopoulou Neofyta Antoniou Alexandra Bargiota Alexandros Gryparis Nikolaos Vrachnis George Mastorakos Sophia N. Kalantaridou Theodoros Panoskaltsis Nikos F. Vlahos Georgios Valsamakis Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis Journal of Clinical Medicine chronic stress birth weight pregnancy perinatal period stress questionnaires |
| title | Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Chronic Stress in Pregnancy Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | chronic stress in pregnancy is associated with low birth weight a meta analysis |
| topic | chronic stress birth weight pregnancy perinatal period stress questionnaires |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7686 |
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