Parity-Related Variation in Cortisol Concentrations in Hair During Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Prospective Cohort Study

    June 2020 in “ Authorea (Authorea) ”
    Ína Marteinsdóttir, Gunilla Sydsjö, shild Faresj, Elvar Theodorsson, Ann Josefsson
    TLDR First-time mothers had higher stress hormone levels in late pregnancy than mothers who had given birth before.
    This study investigated hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in 390 pregnant women, measured monthly from gestational week 26 through postpartum. It found that cortisol levels increased during pregnancy, peaking around childbirth, with higher levels in first-time mothers (primiparae) compared to those with previous births (multiparae). The study confirmed that HCC is a reliable measure of long-term cortisol activity, reflecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. The findings suggested that primiparae experienced more stress, particularly in the third trimester, and that the HPA axis responded differently to placental cortisol production in multiparous women, indicating a more prepared negative feedback system.
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