Concern exists that a constellation of negative maternal emotions during pregnancy generates persistent consequences for child development. Maternal reports anxiety, pregnancy‐specific and nonspecific stress, depressive symptoms were collected mid‐pregnancy at 6 weeks 24 months after birth in sample healthy women with low risk pregnancies. Developmental assessment cardiac vagal tone monitoring administered to 94 children age 2. Higher levels prenatal associated more advanced motor...

The impact of day-care participation during the first 3 years life on cognitive functioning school age children was examined. 867 5- and 6-year-old from National Longitudinal Survey Youth who completed 1986 assessment were included in sample. dependent measures scores Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) subtests mathematics reading recognition. In addition to participation, pattern examined by analyzing effect number day-care, timing initiation type arrangement. After controlling for...

The authors investigated the association between maternal psychological and fetal neurobehavioral functioning. Data were provided by 52 maternal-fetal pairs at 24, 30, 36 weeks gestation. relations measures heart rate, variability, motor activity statistically modeled. Fetuses of women who more affectively intense, appraised their lives as stressful, reported frequent pregnancy-specific hassles active across perceived pregnancy to be intensely frequently uplifting had positive emotional...

Despite substantial interest in the effects of stress on pregnancy, few instruments are available to measure pregnancy-specific stressors. Moreover, research has typically focused distressing, negative aspects pregnancy. This report examines reliability and validity Pregnancy Experience Scale (PES), a 41-item scale that measures daily hassles uplifts. The PES was administered two cohorts low risk women at 24, 30, 36 weeks (n = 52) or 32 38 137). Women perceived their pregnancies be...

Stability in cardiac indicators before birth and their utility predicting variation postnatal development were examined. Fetal heart rate variability measured longitudinally from 20 through 38 weeks gestation ( n = 137) again at age 2 79). Significant within‐individual stability during the prenatal period into childhood was demonstrated. or after 28 steeper developmental trajectories significantly associated with mental psychomotor years 82) language ability 2.5 61). These data suggest that...

This study examined stability and change in maternal anxiety, stress depression both during the second half of pregnancy from to six weeks two years postpartum. Self-report measures included those designed measure mood state as well more persistent attributes. Longitudinal data were collected 137 women pregnancy, 120 at weeks, 97 years. There was significant individual scores on specific (range Pearson rs = 0.30–0.86) through postpartum (rs 0.30–0.74). Comparable levels convergence among...

Fetal neurobehavioral development was modeled longitudinally using data collected at weekly intervals from 24 to 38 weeks gestation in a sample of 112 healthy pregnancies. Predictive associations between 3 measures fetal functioning and their developmental trajectories neurological maturation the first after birth were examined. Prenatal included heart rate (FHR) variability, movement, coupling motor activity patterning; neonatal outcomes include standard neurologic examination ( n = 97)...

The ontogeny of fetal autonomic, motoric, state, and interactive functioning was investigated longitudinally in a sample 31 healthy fetuses from 20 weeks through term. Fetal heart rate movement data were collected during 50 min doppler-based monitoring at 6 gestational ages. Measures variability, activity level vigor, behavioral reactivity derived these digitized data. Weighted least squares analyses conducted to model the developmental patterns examine role maternal covariates. With...

Abstract The earliest relationship does not begin with birth. Pregnant women construct mental representations of the fetus, and feelings affiliation or ‘maternal–fetal attachment’ generally increase over course gestation. While there is a fairly substantial literature on development moderation psychological features maternal–fetal relationship, including role ultrasound imaging, relatively little known about manner in which maternal functioning influences fetus. Dispositional levels stress...

This study established the emergence of stable individual differences in neurobehavioral functioning prior to birth and examined their relation subsequent infant temperament. Fetal heart rate movement were recorded longitudinally for 31 fetuses at 6 gestational ages beginning 20 weeks' gestation. Maternally reported temperament data collected 3 months. Moderate stability all measures except reactivity was apparent some time before birth. By 36 weeks, fetal neurobehavior accounted between 22%...