TY - JOUR
T1 - A Preliminary Study of Correlates of Premature Birth and Their Influence on Cortisol Levels in Young Children
AU - Kloosterboer, Sophia
AU - Anolda Naber, Fabiënne Bertina
AU - Heyman, Hiltje
AU - Hoffmann-Haringsma, Angelique
AU - Bunt, Tibor Markus
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - Objective: The HPA-axis is programmed during early infancy, but a lot is unknown about the programming of the HPA-axis in prematurely born or small for gestational age (SGA) children. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the influence of prematurity and variables associated with birth on cortisol levels in young children. Methods: Cortisol was measured in a cross-sectional design in 38 premature born participants (<37 weeks of gestation), aged between 3 – 9 years old. Correlates of prematurity (degree of prematurity and birth delivery route) were investigated in relationship with cortisol levels with regression analysis. Results: Corrected for sex, delivery by C-section was associated with lower cortisol levels in the children (ß = −.42, p =.028), with an explained variance of 34%. Conclusion: Birth delivery route by C-section is associated with lowered (or flattened) cortisol levels in children born prematurely. This is clinically relevant and might have important implications, because an HPA-axis disturbance might lead to developmental problems later on in life. However, future research is necessary to investigate the underlying indications for performing a C-section, which will help to understand factors that influence the HPA-axis development in children born prematurely.
AB - Objective: The HPA-axis is programmed during early infancy, but a lot is unknown about the programming of the HPA-axis in prematurely born or small for gestational age (SGA) children. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the influence of prematurity and variables associated with birth on cortisol levels in young children. Methods: Cortisol was measured in a cross-sectional design in 38 premature born participants (<37 weeks of gestation), aged between 3 – 9 years old. Correlates of prematurity (degree of prematurity and birth delivery route) were investigated in relationship with cortisol levels with regression analysis. Results: Corrected for sex, delivery by C-section was associated with lower cortisol levels in the children (ß = −.42, p =.028), with an explained variance of 34%. Conclusion: Birth delivery route by C-section is associated with lowered (or flattened) cortisol levels in children born prematurely. This is clinically relevant and might have important implications, because an HPA-axis disturbance might lead to developmental problems later on in life. However, future research is necessary to investigate the underlying indications for performing a C-section, which will help to understand factors that influence the HPA-axis development in children born prematurely.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174549602&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10998004231209429
DO - 10.1177/10998004231209429
M3 - Article
C2 - 37863478
AN - SCOPUS:85174549602
SN - 1099-8004
VL - 26
SP - 240
EP - 247
JO - Biological Research for Nursing
JF - Biological Research for Nursing
IS - 2
ER -