Maternal mental health influence on mother-baby cortisol levels during
neonatal period
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate relations (or
coactions) among maternal mental health measures, clinical and
socio-demographic factors and salivary cortisol level of hospitalized
mothers and babies. Design A cross-sectional observational and
exploratory study at a tertiary referral centre. Setting Maternal and
Neonatal Care Ward of the University Hospital of Brasilia, Brazil
Population 89 mother-baby dyads at post-delivery period. Methods Dyads
were recruited by convenience during the first 48 hours after birth.
Main outcome measures The research protocol included maternal
sociodemographic and clinical data, screening for maternal depression,
self-efficacy and gestational stress, besides salivary cortisol
collection from both mother and baby. Results: Exploratory analysis
indicated a relation between high gestational stress, high depression
symptoms, low self-efficacy perception and high baby’s cortisol level (p
< 0.05). Maternal cortisol was positively related to infant
cortisol and was indirectly influenced by maternal perception of
self-efficacy in reading the baby’s behavior, especially for knowing
what the baby likes, or what pleases her/him, maternal situational
beliefs (within the concept of parental self-efficacy). Four binary
logistic regression models were performed considering maternal mental
state variables as factors and clinical and socio-demographic variables
as covariates in order to predict the cortisol level of infants. Only
two were strong predictors, namely maternal depression and higher
gestational stress. Conclusion The findings suggest an important role of
maternal mental health in neonatal salivary cortisol levels in the first
days of life, which can be considered an early clinical marker for the
infant’s reaction to maternal mental status.