Paternal and Maternal Testosterone in Parents of NICU Infants Transitioning Home

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Developmental Psychology
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Lower testosterone in new parents is thought to promote infant engagement.
• No prior studies have examined salivary testosterone in parents of infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) during the critical transition home.
• Understanding parental hormonal changes is crucial for supporting families with premature infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate salivary testosterone levels in parents of very low-birth-weight infants during the transition from NICU to home.
• To explore associations between parental testosterone, infant factors (e.g., feeding), psychosocial stress, and temporal changes.
• To provide foundational data on parental physiology in a vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

• Salivary testosterone samples collected by 86 parents (43 mothers, 43 fathers) of NICU infants at multiple time points (prior to discharge and at home).
• Diurnal (wakeup and bedtime) samples were collected.
• Psychosocial self-report measures were administered concurrently with sample collection.
• Multilevel modeling analyses were employed to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between paternal testosterone over time and psychosocial adjustment.
• Both paternal and maternal testosterone levels were significantly linked to infant feeding mode (e.g., breastfeeding).
• Results remained significant after controlling for relevant covariates.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to document the diurnal testosterone profile of parents with premature infants during the transition home.
• Findings suggest a link between parental testosterone, psychosocial well-being, and infant caregiving practices.
• Further research is recommended to elucidate parental physiology in this high-risk group.