title: Psychobiological markers of stress in pregnancy: 6-sulfatoxymelatonin--a longitudinal study.
abstract: Maternal stress, physical and psychological, has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. The pineal gland is a physiological transducer that reflects adrenergic input. In a recent pilot study, we found urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, the melatonin metabolite, to be elevated after a women spent a day at work compared to levels after a day off work, a leisure day. To evaluate the value of melatonin as a marker of stress, we evaluate melatonin metabolite levels in 121 women, along with perceived anxiety levels and urinary cortisol. Urinary cortisol and maternal anxiety levels each were significantly higher after a work day compared to a leisure day p = .03 and p = .001, respectively. 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin was not significantly different between work and leisure. Changes in cortisol levels were correlated with changes in melatonin metabolite levels (r = .62, p = .001). There was no correlation between changes in anxiety between work and leisure and changes in 6-sulfastoxymelatonin. We found no correlation with 28 week 6-sulfatoxymelatonin or 28-week cortisol and birth weight or gestational age at delivery. Results of this study suggest that melatonin secretion may not be a valuable marker for stress in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Ekstrom
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heine
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine; D008550:Melatonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000652:urine*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D014931:Women, Working
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C054513:6-sulfatoxymelatonin; D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone