In pregnancy increased maternal STAI trait stress score shows decreased insulin sensitivity and increased stress hormones.

Introduction: Chronic or acute stressors influence maternal and fetal Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axes (HPA) during pregnancy. In this study, the effect of maternal stress into maternal insulin sensitivity was investigated during pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-two pregnant women [aged 27.1±2.5 (mean±SD) yrs; BMI=25±2.2kg/m] had at the 2 and 3 trimesters anthropometry, fasting blood samples (cortisol, Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH), active amylin, Interleukin (IL6)), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) for glucose and insulin, state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) trait and state questionnaires (for stress assessment).

Results: Maternal cortisol, CRH and STAI state score increased significantly from 2 to 3 trimester. At these trimesters women with STAI trait scores ≥40 had greater serum cortisol and CRH concentrations and lower insulin sensitivity index (ISI) values than those with scores <40 while STAI trait score predicted negatively ISI. At the 2 trimester maternal CRH concentrations correlated positively with maternal STAI state, Homeostatic Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMAR), 1 and 2 phase insulin secretion and negatively with ISI. STAI trait correlated negatively with ISI. STAI state correlated positively with maternal systolic blood pressure and HOMAR. At the 3 trimester STAI trait correlated negatively and positively with ISI and STAI state, respectively, while STAI state correlated positively with HOMAR. In women with STAI state scores ≥40, these scores correlated positively with maternal CRH.

Conclusions: In normal pregnant women, enhanced long-term stress is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity. Both long- and short- term stress are associated with enhanced maternal HPA axis and increased placental CRH secretion.