Trends in Hair Cortisol from Preconception to the Postpartum Period

    January 2022 in “ American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ”
    Adeola Awomolo, Shaheda Urmi, Adriana Campos, Samia Valéria Ozorio Dutra, Roneé E. Wilson, Adetola Louis‐Jacques
    TLDR Hair cortisol levels peak in the third trimester and decline postpartum.
    The study measured hair cortisol concentrations in 96 women from 6 months preconception to 6 months postpartum, finding that cortisol levels peaked in the third trimester and declined postpartum. No significant correlations were found between hair cortisol levels and perceived stress or sleep duration, but positive correlations were observed between hair cortisol and certain systemic cytokines (GM-CSF, IFN-G, IL-8, IL-10) at 1-2 months postpartum. The study suggests that hair sampling is an effective method for assessing chronic stress and highlights the need for further research on the relationship between hair cortisol and perinatal outcomes.
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