Maternal parity and perinatal cortisol adaptation: The role of pregnancy-specific distress and implications for postpartum mood

摘要

Introduction:Compared to women who have given birth before (i.e., multiparas), those giving birth for the first time (i.e., primiparas) show higher cortisol levels. Psychological factors may play a role; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation is a well-described stress response. Primiparity also predicts greater risk for postpartum depression, which may be related to greater correspondence between cortisol and mood following prenatal cortisol elevations. The current study examined associations among parity, perinatal cortisol adaptation, pregnancy-specific distress, and postpartum mood.