Open AccessA Pilot Study of Oxytocin in Low-Income Women With a Low Birth-Weight Infant
Author(s) -
Lindsey Garfield,
Diane HolditchDavis,
C Sue Carter,
Barbara L. McFarlin,
Julia S. Seng,
Carmen Giurgescu,
Rosemary WhiteTraut
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advances in neonatal care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1536-0911
pISSN - 1536-0903
DOI - 10.1097/anc.0000000000000601
Subject(s) - medicine , oxytocin , low birth weight , birth weight , anxiety , depression (economics) , obstetrics , lactation , neonatal intensive care unit , distress , pregnancy , psychiatry , clinical psychology , genetics , macroeconomics , economics , biology
Negative outcomes related to prematurity may lead to maternal distress. Mothers of premature/low birth-weight infants report increased posttraumatic stress (50%) and depressive symptoms (63%) compared with mothers of full-term infants. Low-income, minority mothers with greater posttraumatic stress and depression have an increased risk for premature/low birth-weight delivery compared with their white counterparts. Variations in the neuropeptide oxytocin are implicated in lactation, perinatal depression, and maternal behavior.