title: The contribution of maternal stress to preterm birth: issues and considerations.
abstract: Preterm birth represents the most significant problem in maternal-child health, with maternal stress identified as a variable of interest. The effects of maternal stress on risk of preterm birth may vary as a function of context. This article focuses on select key issues and questions highlighting the need to develop a better understanding of which particular subgroups of pregnant women may be especially vulnerable to the potentially detrimental effects of maternal stress, and under what circumstances and at which stages of gestation. Issues related to the characterization and assessment of maternal stress and candidate biologic mechanisms are addressed.
authors: Departments of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 3177 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. pwadhwa@uci.edu
authors: Pathik D
authors: PD
authors: Wadhwa
authors: Sonja
authors: S
authors: Entringer
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Buss
authors: Michael C
authors: MC
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology