Involvement of prolactin in newborn infant irritability following maternal perinatal anxiety symptoms
Zhang Huiping, Shao Shuya, Su Qian, Yao Dan, Sun Hongi, Ding Ding, Dang Shaokang, Wang Shan, Zhu Zhongliang, Li Hui (2018). Involvement of prolactin in newborn infant irritability following maternal perinatal anxiety symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 238, 526-533.
Abstract
Background: Newborn irritability could be a unique and special status and/or adverse neurobehavioral outcomes which was independent of serious disease. To determine whether maternal perinatal anxiety symptoms was associated with newborn irritability, and whether the alteration of serum prolactin in newborns were involved in newborn irritability.
Methods: 205 pregnant women were recruited: normal group (n = 100), and anxiety group (n = 105), which was randomly divided to Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO)+anxiety group(n = 65) and control+anxiety group (n = 40). Newborn Irritability was assessed by Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Serum prolactin, cortisol and 5-HT in mothers and infants were measured.
Results: The scores of irritability items in the newborns of anxiety group were higher than that of the normal group (p < 0.05) Lower serum PRL, 5-HT and higher serum cortisol were found in the newborns of anxiety group compared with that of the control group both postpartum 2d and 15 (p < 0.05). The level of serum PRL in newborn infants were significantly and negatively correlated to the scores of irritability items (p < 0.05). After 7 rounds of NBO interventions, the anxiety scores of mothers and the scores of irritability items of newborns in the NBO intervention group were all lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05) .
Limitations: In future experiments, we should explore the effect of PRL in the breast milk on newborn infant serum PRL.
Conclusions: Mothers in the NBO intervention group had lower anxiety scores and their babies had lower irritability scores, as measured by the NBAS, than mothers and their newborns in the control group. Prolactin could be a potential mediator in newborn irritability following maternal perinatal anxiety symptoms.