Anxious women do not show the expected decrease in cardiovascular stress responsiveness as pregnancy advances

Intergenerational transmission of emotion dysregulation: Part I. Psychopathology, self-injury, and parasympathetic responsivity among pregnant women

“…There is a paucity of research on emotion dysregulation and psychophysiological responsivity, and especially of PNS activity, among pregnant women. In general, research indicates that women's cardiovascular reactivity, including heart rate and RSA, decreases from the first to third trimesters (Braeken et al, 2015; DiPietro, Costigan, & Gurewitsch, 2005; DiPietro, Mendelson, Williams, & Costigan, 2012), which likely functions to protect the developing fetus (Christian, 2012; Glynn & Sandman, 2011). This work also suggests that there is great variability in the extent of psychophysiological attenuation across women, and that less psychophysiological attenuation during pregnancy confers risk for adverse birth-related outcomes, such as pregnancy complications and preterm birth (Entringer et al, 2010; Glynn, Schetter, Hobel, & Sandman, 2008; Yang, Chao, Kuo, Yin, & Chen, 2000).…”

Intergenerational transmission of emotion dysregulation: Part II. Developmental origins of newborn neurobehavior

“…As pregnancy advances, a woman's cardiovascular activity attenuates (e.g., reduced blood pressure and heart rate variability; De Weerth & Buitelaar, 2005; DiPietro, Costigan, & Gurewitsch, 2003; Entringer et al, 2010; Klinkenberg et al, 2009; Matthews & Rodin, 1992). The magnitude of pregnancy-related decreases in autonomic activity and acute reactivity relative to dramatically increased blood volume may differ as a function of maternal-specific factors (e.g., anxiety and stress; Braeken et al, 2015; Herbell, in press). Ablow, Marks, Feldman, and Huffman (2013), for example, found that pregnant women with secure-autonomous attachments showed modest RSA decreases in response to an infant cry, a pattern of physiological adaptation that may facilitate approach behaviors.…”

“…In contrast, expectant women with insecure–dismissing attachments did not show this response to the infant cry, which may inhibit their ability to mobilize and soothe the infant. An expectant mothers’ modest parasympathetic flexibility, in the context of an overall attenuated response, may buffer the developing fetus from the effects of maternal prenatal stress and psychopathology; deviations from this pattern may affect fetal neurobehavioral development (Braeken et al, 2015; Christian, 2012; Entringer et al, 2010; Glynn, Dunkel Schetter, Hobel, & Sandman, 2008; Monk, Myers, Sloan, Ellman, & Fifer, 2003; O'Connor, Monk, & Fitelson, 2014; O'Donnell, O'Conner, & Glover, 2009; Posner et al, 2016; reviewed in Van den Bergh, Mulder, Mennes, & Glover, 2005). No studies, to our knowledge, have examined how a pregnant woman's autonomic reactivity relates to her newborn's neurobehavior.…”

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological distress in pregnancy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…Stress reactivity. At each of the three visits (baseline, post-treatment and, follow-up), participants from both groups will complete two stress tasks: a mental arithmetic and a Stroop task [ 64 ]. Each task will be followed by a 5-min recovery period.…”

“…Cardiovascular stress reactivity is another potential mechanism linking maternal psychological distress in pregnancy and negative obstetrical outcomes. Cardiovascular stress reactivity naturally decreases as pregnancy progresses [ 62 ], which is thought to be an adaptive process that reduces the risk of experiencing gestational hypertension [ 63 , 64 ]. However, reductions in cardiovascular stress responsivity are less likely to occur among pregnant women who report high levels of psychological distress.…”