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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Women's mental health nursing: depression, anxiety and stress during pregnancy

D A Parcells1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. dax.parcells@alum.emory.edu

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
|November 3, 2010
PubMed

Depression affects more women than men, with a preponderance of cases occurring during prime childbearing years (15-44 years of age). Research shows newborns and infants exposed to maternal antepartum depression, anxiety and stress exhibit pronounced neurobiobehavioral dysregularities. The present study investigated the relationship between maternal psychosocial and biochemical profiles during the antepartum period. Participants were recruited from prenatal registration at a large metropolitan hospital in the southeastern USA--the sample consisted of 59 pregnant women (mean age = 22 years). Structured clinical interviews and maternal self-report were utilized to assess maternal psychosocial distress at mid- (26-28 weeks) and late- (32-34 weeks) gestation. Salivary cortisol levels served as an objective stress measure. The resultant high incidences of maternal depression, anxiety and stress provide evidence of the need for nurses to closely monitor psychosocial and biochemical profiles of all women to thwart the negative effects on the developing human foetus. Clinical nursing implications of the requisite consideration of antepartum maternal psychosocial conditions are discussed.

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