title: Self-rated health among pregnant women: associations with objective health indicators, psychological functioning, and serum inflammatory markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biobehavioral correlates of self-rated health in pregnancy are largely unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goals of this study were to examine, in pregnant women, associations of self-rated health with (1) demographics, objective health status, health behaviors, and psychological factors, and (2) serum inflammatory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the second trimester of pregnancy, 101 women provided a blood sample, completed measures of psychosocial stress, health status, and health behaviors, and received a comprehensive periodontal examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following independently predicted poorer self-rated health: (1) greater psychological stress, (2) greater objective health diagnoses, (3) higher body mass index, and (4) past smoking (versus never smoking). Poorer self-rated health was associated with higher serum interleukin-1β (p = 0.02) and marginally higher macrophage migration inhibitory factor (p = 0.06). These relationships were not fully accounted for by behavioral/psychological factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides novel data regarding factors influencing subjective ratings of health and the association of self-rated health with serum inflammatory markers in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA, lisa.christian@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iams
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Binnaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leblebicioglu
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D009909:Oral Health; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators