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Updated: Jan 14, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
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Cortisol as a Mediator of Prenatal Distress and Difficult Infant Temperament: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ferdinand Sörensen1,2, Emma Fransson3, Alkistis Skalkidou3

  • 1Pediatric Neurology & Developmental Medicine University Children's Hospital Tübingen Tübingen Germany.

Health Science Reports
|October 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal distress in mothers may increase infant temperament difficulties, with cortisol potentially mediating this link. This review examines the association and cortisol

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Perinatal Mental Health

Background:

  • Prenatal distress is linked to infant temperament issues, predicting future developmental problems.
  • Fetal programming suggests prenatal environment impacts development, with cortisol as a potential stress mediator.
  • Existing research on cortisol's role in this association yields inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between maternal prenatal distress and difficult infant temperament.
  • To assess the mediating role of prenatal cortisol exposure in this relationship.
  • To conduct subgroup analyses to identify potential moderating factors and sensitive populations.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search across multiple scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, etc.).
  • Inclusion criteria: studies assessing maternal prenatal distress, cortisol levels, and infant temperament (up to 2 years).
  • Two independent reviewers screened articles, assessed quality, and extracted effect sizes; subgroup analyses planned.

Main Results:

  • This section is to be filled after the study is conducted.

Conclusions:

  • This systematic review and meta-analysis will clarify the role of cortisol in mediating the link between prenatal maternal distress and infant temperament.
  • Findings aim to guide future research toward identifying vulnerable subgroups and informing targeted interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
cortisolfetal programmingglucocorticoid systeminfant temperamentmeta‐analysisprenatal distressreview

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