The Association between Maternal Stress and Glucocorticoid Rhythmicity in Human Milk.

Background: Chronic stress is often accompanied by alterations in the diurnal rhythm of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal activity. However, there are limited data on the diurnal rhythmicity of breast milk glucocorticoids (GCs) among women with psychological distress. We compared mothers who sought consultation at an expertise center for pregnant women with an increased risk of psychological distress with control mothers for GC diurnal rhythmicity in milk and saliva obtained at the same time.

Diurnal rhythmicity in breast-milk glucocorticoids, and infant behavior and sleep at age 3 months.

Purpose: In previous studies, associations between breast-milk cortisol levels obtained on one occasion and infant neurodevelopment were demonstrated. However, more recent evidence indicates that breast-milk cortisol and cortisone concentrations follow the diurnal rhythm of maternal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, peaking in the early morning and with a nadir at midnight. We studied associations between breast-milk glucocorticoid (GC) rhythmicity, and infant behavior and sleep.

Biphasic Glucocorticoid Rhythm in One-Month-Old Infants: Reflection of a Developing HPA-Axis?

Context: The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis displays a diurnal rhythm. However, little is known about its development in early life.

Objective: To describe HPA-axis activity and study possible influencing factors in 1-month-old infants.

No Association between Glucocorticoid Diurnal Rhythm in Breastmilk and Infant Body Composition at 3 Months.

Objective: Glucocorticoids (GCs) in breastmilk have previously been associated with infant body growth and body composition. However, the diurnal rhythm of breastmilk GCs was not taken into account, and we therefore aimed to assess the associations between breastmilk GC rhythmicity at 1 month and growth and body composition at 3 months in infants.

Methods: At 1 month postpartum, breastmilk GCs were collected over a 24-h period and analyzed by LC-MS/MS.

Long-Term Neurodevelopmental and Functional Outcomes of Infants Born Very Preterm and/or with a Very Low Birth Weight.

Background: Birth weight (BW) is often used as a proxy for gestational age (GA) in studies on preterm birth. Recent findings indicate that, in addition to perinatal outcomes, subjects born very preterm (VP; GA < 32 weeks) differ from those with a very low birth weight (VLBW; BW < 1,500 g) in postnatal growth up to their final height.

Objective: To study whether neurodevelopmental and functional outcomes at the age of 19 years differ in VP and/or VLBW subjects.