Impact of Perceived Stress, Major Life Events and Pregnancy Attitudes on Low Birth Weight

Sable, Marjorie R.; Wilkinson, Deborah Schild

doi:10.2307/2648197

Cited by 119 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Second, several cohort studies of pregnant women [16][17][18][19] have indicated that stress during pregnancy is associated with preterm and low birth weight (LBW) deliveries through established biological pathways 20 . To date, these studies have mostly emphasized the role of perceived stress and chronic stressors, such as poverty, crowding, interpersonal violence, and work-related stress, but some research has also considered the influence of severe personal life events 21,22 and even terrorism. On the basis of their review, Ohlsson and Shah 23 concluded that the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster increased the risk of LBW and small-for-gestational-age births in New York.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Health Consequences of Terrorism on Maternal–Child Health in New York City and Madrid

Sherrieb

Norris

2012

J Urban Health

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Past research provides evidence for trajectories of health and wellness among individuals following disasters that follow specific pathways of resilience, resistance, recovery, or continued dysfunction. These individual responses are influenced by event type and pre-event capacities. This study was designed to utilize the trajectories of health model to determine if it translates to population health. We identified terrorist attacks that could potentially impact population health rather than only selected individuals within the areas of the attacks. We chose to examine a time series of population birth outcomes before and after the terrorist events of the New York City (NYC) World Trade Center (WTC) attacks of 2001 and the Madrid, Spain train bombings of 2004 to determine if the events affected maternal-child health of those cities and, if so, for how long. For percentages of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm births, we found no significant effects from the WTC attacks in NYC and transient but significant effects on rates of LBW and preterm births following the bombings in Madrid. We did find a significant positive and sustained effect on infant mortality rate in NYC following the WTC attacks but no similar effect in Madrid. There were no effects on any of the indicator variables in the comparison regions of New York state and the remainder of Spain. Thus, population maternal-health in New York and Madrid showed unique adverse effects after the terrorist attacks in those cities. Short-term effects on LBW and preterm birth rates in Madrid and long-term effects on infant mortality rates in NYC were found when quarterly data were analyzed from 1990 through 2008/2009. These findings raise questions about chronic changes in the population's quality of life following catastrophic terrorist attacks. Public health should be monitored and interventions designed to address chronic stress, environmental, and socioeconomic threats beyond the acute aftermath of events.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Health Consequences of Terrorism on Maternal–Child Health in New York City and Madrid

Sherrieb

Norris

2012

J Urban Health

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“…Chronic stress and acute stress may exert different effects on fetal development and perinatal outcomes. Several authors have reported lower birth weight and shortened gestation in children born to mothers exposed to chronic stress compared to acute stress (Chrousos and Gold 1992;Rini et al 1999;Sable and Wilkinson 2000;Wadhwa et al 1996). Likewise, there is increasing evidence that exposure to forms of toxic stress in early life alters stress responses in adulthood.…”

Section: Chronic and Acute Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Course Health Development Outcomes After Prematurity: Developing a Community, Clinical, and Translational Research Agenda to Optimize Health, Behavior, and Functioning

Msall

Sobotka

Dmowska

et al. 2017

Handbook of Life Course Health Development

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Long-term survival for infants born extremely prematurely (<28 weeks of gestation) and extremely low birth weight (<1000 g) has increased dramatically due to obstetrical and neonatal advances. However, poverty, inequality, and resulting health disparities are significant contributors to women who give birth to preterm infants and also impact their children’s healthy development and education. While the vast majority of survivors of extreme prematurity do not have the most severe forms of neurodevelopmental disability (i.e., cerebral palsy, blindness, sensorineural hearing loss >55 dB, and intellectual disability), half of survivors can be expected to require special education services at kindergarten entry and during their school years. In addition, there are also high rates of health disparities in the prevalence of preterm birth across the spectrum of gestations including very preterm (28–31 weeks), moderate preterm (32–33 weeks), and late preterm births (34–36 weeks). Life course health development offers a valuable framework for examining how complex medical and social adversities that impact a mother’s health can also impact their child’s health and developmental trajectories. A better understanding of the cumulative impact of protective factors and other buffers that can support prenatal and postnatal parental and child health will provide important insights into how to promote greater resiliency and optimal health development. This population-based information can provide ongoing data for thriving developmental health trajectories for vulnerable preterm survivors with respect to physical, behavioral, and social health outcomes. Though premature infants who receive comprehensive early intervention and preschool educational supportive services have improved outcomes at kindergarten entry, school-age survivors, even those escaping major neurodevelopmental diagnoses, have challenges which impact attention, behavioral regulation, academic achievement, and social skills compared to their full-term peers. Unfortunately, many essential services that can contribute to better outcomes are unnecessarily fragmented and not systematically implemented to provide preventive interventions that optimize health, learning, executive function, social, and adaptive competencies. These cumulative medical, developmental, and social risks among preterm survivors adversely impact long-term adult physical and behavioral health, educational attainment, and social participation. In order to address these disparities, more precise, population-based, health development interventions aimed at optimizing physical and behavioral health, educational achievement, and adaptive competencies will be required. We recommend research strategies to inform our efforts for improving life course outcomes.

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“…By taking a holistic approach to the client assessing physiological, psychological, sociological, cultural, developmental, and spiritual areas for potential risk, it is possible to increase identification of those at risk, and intervene in an attempt to improve perinatal outcomes. Initial psychosocial assessments of pregnant women, along with interventions that address the areas causing risk, have the potential to improve pregnancy outcomes (Sable & Wilkinson 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was a significant finding because women in this group experienced no complications during gestation. Sable and Wilkinson (2000) addressed the impact of perceived stress, major life events, and pregnancy attitudes on low birth weights in a case-control study of 2378 mothers. A stepwise logistic regression model was used to control for study variables.…”

Section: Research Support Psychosocial Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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"Assess the stress: Identifying psychosocial risk to optimize perinatal outcomes in military gravids"

Arabia¹

2002

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, (Logsdon, 2000;Norbeck & Tilden, 1983).This can lead to stress, which directly and indirectly affects maternal and fetal well being.Complications Although extensive research has been conducted over the past 30 years validating the link between psychosocial factors and perinatal outcomes, little attention is given to these in the perinatal setting. Obstetrical providers are still relying on biomedical and demographic information alone to determine perinatal risk.Women in the military are a vulnerable population at risk for antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum complications (Magann & Nolan, 1991;Rosen & Evans, 2000). The lack of social support due to geographic separation from family, friends, and often times, partners, seems to be contributory to their risk. This is significant since studies have shown that social support can buffer the detrimental effects of stress.The purpose of the proposed innovation is twofold. One, to heighten military provider awareness of the impact stress and psychosocial variables have on perinatal outcomes. Two, to incorporate psychosocial risk assessment and strategies to counter those risks throughout routine prenatal care.The proposed innovation will be a one-day continuing education program to 50-60 OB/GYN physicians, residents, nurse practitioners, clinical nurses, medical technicians, and inpatient nurse managers providing care at Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas. The innovation will continue over 12 months by utilizing The Prenatal Psychosocial Profile (PPP) at least three times over the course of the pregnancy to assess stress, social support, and self-esteem. Formal documentation and intervention strategies will be readily accessible to providers.Evaluation of the program will include pre-and post-attitudinal questionnaires along with a program evaluation. A follow-up questionnaire will be administered at one year to all healthcare personnel providing OB/GYN services to evaluate the acceptance of psychosocial evaluation and input for the decision making process to accept, modify, or adopt the innovation. Evaluation will also include review of prenatal records at three, six, and twelve months to determine if the PPP is being utilized, psychosocial risks are being addressed, and appropriate interventions are being recommended.

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Impact of Perceived Stress, Major Life Events and Pregnancy Attitudes on Low Birth Weight

Cited by 119 publications

References 15 publications

Public Health Consequences of Terrorism on Maternal–Child Health in New York City and Madrid

Public Health Consequences of Terrorism on Maternal–Child Health in New York City and Madrid

Life Course Health Development Outcomes After Prematurity: Developing a Community, Clinical, and Translational Research Agenda to Optimize Health, Behavior, and Functioning

"Assess the stress: Identifying psychosocial risk to optimize perinatal outcomes in military gravids"

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