Reprint of "Epigenetics, maternal prenatal psychosocial stress, and infant mental health"
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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Using Chronic Social Stress to Model Postpartum Depression in Lactating Rodents
Published on: June 10, 2013
1Seattle University, United States of America.
Abstract:
This paper provides a summary of literature on epigenetic effects and infant health outcomes of maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy. A search of literature yielded a large body of publications between 2008 and 2018. Relevant articles were selected, and additional sources were located from ancestry searches of reference lists. Results implicate maternal prenatal stress as a source of epigenetic mechanisms that affect fetal brain development and program risk for emotional dysregulation and mental disorders over a lifetime and across generations. Implications for nursing practice are explored at multiple levels of policy advocacy, public education, primary prevention, screening and intervention.
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