Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38497496›Full record

ArticleStress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)2024

Exposure to prenatal stressors and infant autonomic nervous system regulation of stress.

Sandra J Weiss, Bruce Cooper, Cherry Leung

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
3.2field-weighted citation impact, top 10% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Effects of Maternal Heartbeat Exposure on Neonatal Autonomic Regulation.Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Heart Rate Variability in Newborns From Diabetic Mothers: Clinical Application and Significance.Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology : the official journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Sandra J WeissDepartment of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Bruce CooperDepartment of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Cherry LeungDepartment of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
University of California, San Francisco · US

Funding

Antenatal Corticosteroids, Maternal Depression and Preterm Infant Stress ResponseR01HD081188 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI WEISS, SANDRA JEAN · 2015 to 2019
$2.9M
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD081188
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fetal exposure to maternal prenatal stressors and infant parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous function at 3 timepoints across the first year of life.

backgroundAutonomic nervous system impairments may mediate associations between gestational exposure to stressors and later infant health problems. Heart rate variability (HRV) provides a sensitive index of PNS and SNS function. However, no studies have assessed longitudinal associations between prenatal stressors and infant HRV measures of both PNS and SNS over the first year of life.

methodsDuring the third trimester of pregnancy, 233 women completed measures of life stressors and depression. At 1, 6 and 12 months of age, a stressor protocol was administered while infant electrocardiographic (ECG) data were collected from a baseline through a post-stressor period. HRV measures of PNS and SNS activity (HF, LF, LF/HF ratio) were generated from ECG data. We used multilevel regression to examine the aims, adjusting for maternal depression and neonatal morbidity.

resultsThere were no associations between prenatal stressors and any baseline or reactivity HRV metric over the infant's first year of life. However, exposure to more stressors was associated with lower post-stressor LF HRV at both 6 (β = -.44,

conclusionsFindings suggest potential alterations in development of the vagally mediated baroreflex function as a result of exposure to prenatal stressors, with implications for the infants' ability to generate a resilient recovery in response to stressors.

Indexed as

Autonomic Nervous SystemStress, PsychologicalElectrocardiographyFamilyFemaleHeart RateHumansInfantInfant, NewbornPregnancyautonomic nervous systemfetal programmingheart rate variabilityinfantpregnancyStressors

Identifiers

PMID38497496
PMCPMC11144651
OpenAlexW4392918995

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.