The relation of cortisol reactivity and anxiety to perinatal outcome in primiparous adolescents
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W F McCool1, L D Dorn, E J Susman
1School of Nursing, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06536-0740.
The relation of cortisol reactivity and self-report anxiety to perinatal outcomes was examined in a sample of 38 primiparous adolescents. Maternal cortisol and anxiety levels obtained in the first half of pregnancy and in mid-third trimester were found to be related to the gestational age of newborns, with higher levels of cortisol and/or anxiety predicting greater chance of pre- or postmature birth. However, when measured over time, a greater increase in cortisol levels was more predictive of positive perinatal outcomes, such as no meconium in labor. These findings suggest that certain levels of maternal reactivity/anxiety are necessary for positive perinatal outcomes.
The relation of cortisol reactivity and self-report anxiety to perinatal outcomes was examined in a sample of 38 primiparous adolescents. Maternal cortisol and anxiety levels obtained in the first half of pregnancy and in mid-third trimester were found to be related to the gestational age of newborns, with higher levels of cortisol and/or anxiety predicting greater chance of pre- or postmature birth. However, when measured over time, a greater increase in cortisol levels was more predictive of positive perinatal outcomes, such as no meconium in labor. These findings suggest that certain levels of maternal reactivity/anxiety are necessary for positive perinatal outcomes.