Citation
Herrmann, Tracy S.; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Hobel, Calvin J.; Aurora, Chandra; & Schetter, Christine Dunkel (2001). Prolonged Periods without Food Intake during Pregnancy Increase Risk for Elevated Maternal Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Concentrations. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 185(2), 403-412.Abstract
Objective: Fasting during pregnancy stimulates preterm delivery in animals and increases women's risk for preterm delivery. Fasting stimulates hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone production in animals. Elevated maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations are associated with preterm birth. We hypothesized that prolonged periods without food during pregnancy increase maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations, which lead to preterm delivery.Study design: In the Behavior in Pregnancy Study, we examined prolonged periods without eating during pregnancy and corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations and gestational age at delivery with multivariate logistic regression analysis (n = 237).
Results: Prolonged periods without food lasting 13 hours or longer were associated with elevated maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations compared with prolonged periods without food lasting less than 13 hours at two time points during pregnancy, controlling for pregravid body mass index, energy intake, income, race, smoking, and maternal age (18-20 weeks: adjusted odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 0.9-7.1; 28-30 weeks: adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 0.7-4.2). There was an inverse, linear relationship between maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations and gestational age at delivery.
Conclusions: Prolonged periods without food intake during pregnancy are associated with elevated maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations and with preterm delivery.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1067/mob.2001.115863Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2001Journal Title
American Journal of Obstetrics & GynecologyAuthor(s)
Herrmann, Tracy S.Siega-Riz, Anna Maria
Hobel, Calvin J.
Aurora, Chandra
Schetter, Christine Dunkel