Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32911996›Full record

ArticleThe American journal of psychiatry2021

Maternal Psychological Resilience During Pregnancy and Newborn Telomere Length: A Prospective Study.

Glenn Verner, Elissa Epel, Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen, Eero Kajantie, Claudia Buss, Jue Lin, Elizabeth Blackburn, Katri Räikkönen, Pathik D Wadhwa, Sonja Entringer

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The American journal of psychiatry, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07003048 (Life vs. Digital Music Interventions Performed by Professionals Throughout Pregnancy to Increase Mental Health for Mothers and Their Offspring), which is not on this map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
16.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07003048 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Life vs. Digital Music Interventions Performed by Professionals Throughout Pregnancy to Increase Mental Health for Mothers and Their Offspring

TypeinterventionalSponsorClara Angela FoundationRan2025 to 2027Enrolled200ConditionsPregnancy, Mental Health, Maternal and Child Health OutcomesArmsSinging, dancing in small groups and active listening to live music at the Berlin Philharmony building
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 75 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Practitioner Review: Infant mental health meets cell and molecular biology - a look to the future.Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines · 2026
    Review
  7. The Prenatal in Lacan's Borromean Knot.American journal of psychoanalysis · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Glenn VernerCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Elissa EpelCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Marius Lahti-PulkkinenCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Eero KajantieCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Claudia BussCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Jue LinCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Elizabeth BlackburnCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Katri RäikkönenCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Pathik D WadhwaCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
Sonja EntringerCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin (Verner, Buss, Entringer); Department of Psychiatry, San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Epel); Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Lahti-Pulkkinen, Räikkönen); Department of Public Health Solutions, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland, PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, and Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Kajantie); Department of Pediatrics and UC Irvine Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine (Buss, Wadhwa, Entringer); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (Lin, Blackburn) and Department of Microbiology and Immunology (Blackburn), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine (Wadhwa).
University of California, Irvine · USOulu University Hospital · FIUC Irvine Health · USUniversity of California, San Francisco · US

Funding

Research BaseP30DK063720 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI VAISSE, CHRISTIAN · 2003 to 2019
$21.8M
UCSF Nutrition Obesity Research CenterP30DK098722 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI CHRISTIAN VAISSE · 2015 to 2026
$14.6M
NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) NetworkUG1HD087230 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI HYAGRIV N SIMHAN · 2016 to 2026
$3.2M
Social Disadvantage and Fetal Programming of Newborn-Infant Telomere BiologyR01AG050455 · NIA · MAGEE-WOMEN'S RES INST AND FOUNDATION · PI EPEL, ELISSA S., SIMHAN, HYAGRIV N · 2016 to 2020
$3.0M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG050455NICHD NIH HHS UG1 HD087230NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK063720NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK098722
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIn the context of the importance of elucidating the determinants of the initial, newborn setting of telomere length (TL), it is increasingly evident that maternal stress and stress-related processes during pregnancy play a major role. Although psychological resilience may function as a buffer, research in this area has not yet examined its potential role vis-à-vis that of stress. The authors examined the relationship between maternal psychological resilience during pregnancy and newborn TL.

methodsIn a sample of 656 mother-child dyads from the Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction cohort, multiple serial assessments were conducted over the course of pregnancy to quantify maternal stress, negative and positive emotional responses to pregnancy events, positive affect, and perceived social support. Principal component analysis identified two latent factors: stress and positivity. A measure of resilience was computed by regressing the positivity factor on the stress factor, in order to quantify positivity after accounting for stress. TL was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in leukocytes extracted from cord blood shortly after birth. Linear regression was used to predict newborn TL from maternal resilience during pregnancy, adjusting for other potential determinants.

resultsMaternal stress significantly predicted shorter newborn TL (β=-0.079), and positivity significantly predicted longer TL (β=0.135). Maternal resilience (positivity accounting for stress) was significantly and positively associated with newborn TL (β=0.114, 95% CI=0.035, 0.189), with each standard deviation increase in resilience predicting 12% longer newborn TL.

conclusionsThe results indicate that maternal psychological resilience may exert a salubrious effect on offspring telomere biology and highlight the importance of enhancing maternal mental health and well-being during pregnancy.

Indexed as

Resilience, PsychologicalTelomere HomeostasisAdultCohort StudiesFemaleFetal BloodHumansInfant, NewbornMaternal HealthPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsProspective StudiesReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionPositive PsychologyPregnancyPsychological ResilienceSocial SupportStressTelomere

Identifiers

PMID32911996
PMCPMC7855094
OpenAlexW3086061945

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.