LEXINGTON, KY (March 8, 1999) - University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center researcher Pathik D. Wadhwa, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral science, UK College of Medicine, and his colleagues, presented a study which suggests maternal stress and stress hormones influence fetal brain development. Wadhwa was lead presenter of the study at the 20th annual Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine held March 3-6 in San Diego.
Although maternal factors such a stress and stress hormones have been shown to play a significant role in pregnancy outcomes related to prematurity, their influence on fetal brain development is not well understood, Wadhwa said. However, in this most recent study, research was conducted to examine whether features of the maternal environment were associated with measures of fetal brain function.
An experimental measure of fetal brain function was developed by quantifying fetal heart rate responses to a series of external stimuli using an instrument that produces both sound and vibration similar to an electric toothbrush. This instrument routinely is used by obstetricians in clinical practice to awaken a sleeping fetus. The study sample was comprised of 156 mother-fetus pairs at 33 weeks gestation.
Maternal assessments included interviews and questionnaires to assess psychosocial and behavioral factors such as stress, maternal blood samples for bioassays of maternal and placental stress hormones and medical records to obtain information related to obstetric risk factors.
The study results indicated fetuses exhibited a significant and sustained
increase in heart rate responses to the vibroacoustic challenge protocol. There
were marked individual differences in the pattern of fetal responses to the
instrument, Wadhwa said. Characteristics of the challenge protocol, such as the
number of stimuli and time interval between successive stimuli, were associated
with the overall pattern of fetal
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Contact: Kristi Lopez
kwlope0@pop.uky.edu
606-323-6363
University of Kentucky Medical Center
9-Mar-1999