Gestational hormone profiles predict human maternal behavior at 1-year postpartum.

ABSTRACT: In many non-human species, including primates, gestational reproductive hormones play an essential role in the onset of maternal motivation and behaviors. We investigated the associations between prepartum estradiol and progesterone and maternal behavior at 1-year postpartum in 177 women. Blood was obtained at five gestational time points and an index of quality of maternal care was determined using a well-validated mother-child interaction protocol. Women who exhibited higher quality maternal care at 1-year postpartum were characterized by unique gestational profiles of estradiol, progesterone and the estrogen to progesterone ratio; specifically by slower accelerations and levels of these hormone trajectories beginning in midgestation. Further, it appeared that both fetal sex and parity m

SUBMITTER: Glynn LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5929113 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature