title: Change of salivary stress marker concentrations during pregnancy: maternal depressive status suppress changes of those levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to show changes in salivary cortisol and chromogranin A/protein concentrations as stress markers during pregnancy and to clarify the effect of chronic stress on stress markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Salivary samples were collected from 69 pregnant women during pregnancy. Salivary cortisol levels and chromogranin A/protein titers were determined. We surveyed the women's chronic stress using the Zung self-rating depression scale and General Health Questionnaire-28.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cortisol levels in the saliva of pregnant women showed biphasic change during pregnancy. Chromogranin A/protein levels in the saliva of pregnant women increased in the second and the early third trimesters and decreased to the puerperal period. Salivary cortisol concentrations of the chronic high stress group were significantly lower compared with those of the normal group. Salivary chromogranin A/protein concentrations of the chronic high stress group were also significantly lower than those of the normal group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The titration of salivary cortisol concentrations and chromogranin A/protein levels is a useful tool to determine maternal stress levels. The elevation of cortisol and chromogranin A/protein in the saliva was suppressed in the chronic high stress group during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aizenbashi Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsubouchi
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Kanehisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Yang Sil
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Norichika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ushioda
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaku
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimoya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007564:Japan; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D006854:Hydrocortisone