This study observed that higher anxiety levels in pregnant individuals are negatively correlated with neonatalhaircortisol, suggesting that increased anxiety during pregnancy may affect fetal cortisol accumulation, which is important for fetal development and associated with birth outcomes and cognitive function.
In this study, researchers found that higher levels of general and pregnancy-related anxiety during gestation were negatively correlated with neonatalhaircortisol levels, suggesting that increased maternal anxiety may alter fetal cortisol exposure, which is important for fetal development.
May 2026 in “The Knowledge Bank (The Ohio State University)”
This study observed significantly higher haircortisol concentrations in foals compared to mares, with a strong positive correlation between the two, suggesting that haircortisol can reflect maternal and fetal cortisol exposure during the last trimester of gestation in horses.
7 citations
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October 2015 in “American Journal of Primatology”
The researchers observed that pregnancy in rhesus monkeys was associated with an increased incidence of hair loss, though the underlying reasons remain unclear.
Hair loss is linked to cellular physiology and the IGF-1 to TGF-B1 ratio, not just androgen sensitivity. The theory lacks evidence, while finasteride and minoxidil are effective treatments.
Corticosterone inhibits GAS6, affecting hair follicle stem-cell activity, with potential implications for stress-related hair loss. Ashwagandha and Vitamin K are suggested for reducing cortisol, but their effectiveness is debated.
Relaxation may promote hair growth by reducing corticosterone, which affects hair follicle stem cells. Corticosteroids are used for alopecia areata, but their long-term use for androgenic alopecia is uncertain.
Is hydrocortisone effective for stopping inflammation that blocks hair growth?Sources describe hydrocortisone as a short-course treatment for scalp inflammation such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or eczema, and no verified trial tests it as a hair-regrowth treatment; the corticosteroids used for alopecia areata are the potent prescription ones, and prolonged use of any topical steroid on the scalp risks skin thinning.