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Maternal stressful life events prior to conception and the impact on infant birth weight in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Witt, W.P.
  • Cheng, E.R.
  • Wisk, L.E.
  • Litzelman, K.
  • Chatterjee, D.
  • Mandell, K.
  • Wakeel, F.

Abstract

Objectives. We sought to determine if and to what extent a woman's exposure to stressful life events prior to conception (PSLEs)were associated with subsequent infant birth weight by using a nationally representative sample of US women. Methods. We examined 9350 mothers and infants participating in the first wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort in 2001. Weighted regressions estimated the effect of exposure on very low and low birth weight, adjusting for maternal sociodemographic and health factors and stress during pregnancy. Results. Twenty percent of women experienced any PSLE. In adjusted analyses, exposed women were 38% more likely to have a very low birth weight infant than nonexposed women. Furthermore, the accumulation of PSLEs was associated with reduced infant birth weight. Conclusions. This was the first nationally representative study to our knowledge to investigate the impact of PSLEs on very low and low birth weight in the United States. Interventions aimed to improve birth outcomes will need to shift the clinical practice paradigm upstream to the preconception period to reduce women's exposure to stress over the life course and improve the long-term health of children.

Suggested Citation

  • Witt, W.P. & Cheng, E.R. & Wisk, L.E. & Litzelman, K. & Chatterjee, D. & Mandell, K. & Wakeel, F., 2014. "Maternal stressful life events prior to conception and the impact on infant birth weight in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(S1), pages 81-89.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301544_4
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301544
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    Cited by:

    1. Paula Braveman & Katherine Heck & Susan Egerter & Tyan Parker Dominguez & Christine Rinki & Kristen S Marchi & Michael Curtis, 2017. "Worry about racial discrimination: A missing piece of the puzzle of Black-White disparities in preterm birth?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Claire Leppold & Shuhei Nomura & Toyoaki Sawano & Akihiko Ozaki & Masaharu Tsubokura & Sarah Hill & Yukio Kanazawa & Hiroshi Anbe, 2017. "Birth Outcomes after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster: A Long-Term Retrospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-14, May.
    3. van Dijk, Ingrid K. & Nilsson, Therese & Quaranta, Luciana, 2024. "Disease exposure in infancy affects women's reproductive outcomes and offspring health in southern Sweden 1905–2000," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    4. Roseriet Beijers & Anat Scher & Hanit Ohana & Ayala Maayan-Metzger & Micah Leshem, 2022. "Exposure to War Prior to Conception: Maternal Emotional Distress Forecasts Sex-Specific Child Behavior Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Cubbin, Catherine & Kim, Yeonwoo & Vohra-Gupta, Shetal & Margerison, Claire, 2020. "Longitudinal measures of neighborhood poverty and income inequality are associated with adverse birth outcomes in Texas," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    6. Keshia Reid & Miles Taylor, 2015. "Stress and Maternal Postpartum Depression: The Importance of Stress Type and Timing," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 34(6), pages 851-875, December.
    7. Jennifer B. Kane & Claire Margerison-Zilko, 2017. "Theoretical Insights into Preconception Social Conditions and Perinatal Health: The Role of Place and Social Relationships," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(5), pages 639-669, October.

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