Emily Zimmerman1, Andréa Aguiar2,3, Max T Aung4, Sarah Dee Geiger2,5, Morgan Hines6, Megan L Woodbury2,7, Alaina Martens6, Gredia Huerta-Montanez8, José F Cordero8, John D Meeker9, Susan L Schantz2,3, Akram N Alshawabkeh10. 1. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. e.zimmerman@northeastern.edu. 2. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. 3. Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. 4. Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. 5. Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA. 6. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. 7. Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. 8. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 9. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. 10. College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between prenatal maternal stress (PREMS) and non-nutritive suck (NNS) and tested its robustness across 2 demographically diverse populations. METHODS: The study involved 2 prospective birth cohorts participating in the national Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Illinois Kids Development Study (IKIDS) and ECHO Puerto Rico (ECHO-PROTECT). PREMS was measured during late pregnancy via the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). NNS was sampled from 1- to 8-week-olds using a custom pacifier for ~5 min. RESULTS: Overall, 237 mother-infant dyads completed this study. Despite several significant differences, including race/ethnicity, income, education, and PREMS levels, significant PREMS-NNS associations were found in the 2 cohorts. In adjusted linear regression models, higher PREMS, measured through PSS-10 total scores, related to fewer but longer NNS bursts per minute. CONCLUSIONS: A significant association was observed between PREMS and NNS across two diverse cohorts. This finding is important as it may enable the earlier detection of exposure-related deficits and, as a result, earlier intervention, which potentially can optimize outcomes. More research is needed to understand how NNS affects children's neurofunction and development. IMPACT: In this double-cohort study, we found that higher maternal perceived stress assessed in late pregnancy was significantly associated with fewer but longer sucking bursts in 1- to 8-week-old infants. This is the first study investigating the association between prenatal maternal stress (PREMS) and infant non-nutritive suck (NNS), an early indicator of central nervous system integrity. Non-nutritive suck is a potential marker of increased prenatal stress in diverse populations. Non-nutritive suck can potentially serve as an early indicator of exposure-related neuropsychological deficits allowing for earlier interventions and thus better prognoses.
BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between prenatal maternal stress (PREMS) and non-nutritive suck (NNS) and tested its robustness across 2 demographically diverse populations. METHODS: The study involved 2 prospective birth cohorts participating in the national Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Illinois Kids Development Study (IKIDS) and ECHO Puerto Rico (ECHO-PROTECT). PREMS was measured during late pregnancy via the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). NNS was sampled from 1- to 8-week-olds using a custom pacifier for ~5 min. RESULTS: Overall, 237 mother-infant dyads completed this study. Despite several significant differences, including race/ethnicity, income, education, and PREMS levels, significant PREMS-NNS associations were found in the 2 cohorts. In adjusted linear regression models, higher PREMS, measured through PSS-10 total scores, related to fewer but longer NNS bursts per minute. CONCLUSIONS: A significant association was observed between PREMS and NNS across two diverse cohorts. This finding is important as it may enable the earlier detection of exposure-related deficits and, as a result, earlier intervention, which potentially can optimize outcomes. More research is needed to understand how NNS affects children's neurofunction and development. IMPACT: In this double-cohort study, we found that higher maternal perceived stress assessed in late pregnancy was significantly associated with fewer but longer sucking bursts in 1- to 8-week-old infants. This is the first study investigating the association between prenatal maternal stress (PREMS) and infant non-nutritive suck (NNS), an early indicator of central nervous system integrity. Non-nutritive suck is a potential marker of increased prenatal stress in diverse populations. Non-nutritive suck can potentially serve as an early indicator of exposure-related neuropsychological deficits allowing for earlier interventions and thus better prognoses.
Authors: Sam S Oh; Joshua Galanter; Neeta Thakur; Maria Pino-Yanes; Nicolas E Barcelo; Marquitta J White; Danielle M de Bruin; Ruth M Greenblatt; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo; Alan H B Wu; Luisa N Borrell; Chris Gunter; Neil R Powe; Esteban G Burchard Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2015-12-15 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Justin Manjourides; Emily Zimmerman; Deborah J Watkins; Thomas Carpenito; Carmen M Vélez-Vega; Gredia Huerta-Montañez; Zaira Rosario; Ishwara Ayala; Carlos Vergara; Zlatan Feric; Martha Ondras; Helen H Suh; April Z Gu; Phil Brown; José F Cordero; John D Meeker; Akram Alshawabkeh Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-07-19 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Thomas C Williams; Cathrine C Bach; Niels B Matthiesen; Tine B Henriksen; Luigi Gagliardi Journal: Pediatr Res Date: 2018-06-04 Impact factor: 3.756