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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
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Published on: August 2, 2017
Maternal plasma noradrenaline levels at 29 weeks and gestational age at birth
Jerónima Maria Alves Teixeira1, Jorge da Cunha Branco, Muniem Alfituri
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University Nova of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. jeronima.teixeira@fcm.unl.pt
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between maternal plasma noradrenaline levels at a mean gestational age of 29 weeks and gestational age and weight at birth.
Design:
Original research.
Sample:
Seventy-four pregnant women with a mean gestational age of 29 weeks.
Methods:
Psychological anxiety levels (Spielberger State and Trait questionnaire) and plasma stress hormone levels (noradrenaline and adrenaline) were measured in pregnant women at a mean gestational age of 29 weeks. Statistical analysis was applied to investigate links between these variables and gestational age and weight at birth.
Outcome Measures:
Self-rating anxiety, State and Trait Spielberger questionnaire, maternal noradrenaline and adrenaline levels, gestational age and weight at birth.
Results:
There was a significant inverse relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and the infant gestational age at birth (r = 0.09, p = 0.05). There was no relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and weight at birth.
Conclusions:
There was a significant inverse relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and gestational age at birth, suggesting the possibility of underlying mechanisms linking maternal noradrenaline and timing of delivery.
