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Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Harville, EW; Savitz, DA; Dole, N; Thorp, JM; Herring, AH
Published in: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
February 2007

To determine whether stress is associated with risk of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant women.Prospective cohort study.The prenatal care clinics at the University of North Carolina. The residents' clinic sees mostly government-insured and uninsured women, and the physicians' clinic sees mostly those with private health insurance.A total of 897 women gave samples for BV analysis. Study participants were 22% African-American, 68% white; 24% unmarried and 44% nulliparous. More than half had completed college.Women completed two questionnaires and two interviews reporting stress and psychological aspects of their lives. Measurement scales included the Sarason life events questionnaire, the Cohen perceived stress scale, Spielberger state-trait anxiety, the John Henryism coping style and the Medical Outcomes Study social support inventory. Two stress hormones, corticotrophin-releasing hormone and cortisol, were also measured.BV at 15-19 and 24-29 weeks of gestation was diagnosed by Gram's stain.Women in the highest quartile of stress measures, particularly state anxiety (OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3), perceived stress (OR=2.4, 95% CI 1.5-3.9) and total life events (OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.2), had the highest risk of BV. Adjustment for confounders, especially age, race, and income, reduced these associations (state anxiety: OR=1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.4; perceived stress: OR=1.4, 95% CI 0.8-2.5; total life events: OR=1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.4). No clear pattern of association was seen between stress hormones and BV.Few associations between stress and BV were seen after adjustment for confounders.

Duke Scholars

Published In

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

DOI

EISSN

1471-0528

ISSN

1470-0328

Publication Date

February 2007

Volume

114

Issue

2

Start / End Page

216 / 223

Related Subject Headings

  • Vaginosis, Bacterial
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Saliva
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Pregnancy
  • Odds Ratio
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
 

Citation

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Harville, E. W., Savitz, D. A., Dole, N., Thorp, J. M., & Herring, A. H. (2007). Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. BJOG : An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 114(2), 216–223. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01209.x
Harville, E. W., D. A. Savitz, N. Dole, J. M. Thorp, and A. H. Herring. “Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.BJOG : An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 114, no. 2 (February 2007): 216–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01209.x.
Harville EW, Savitz DA, Dole N, Thorp JM, Herring AH. Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. 2007 Feb;114(2):216–23.
Harville, E. W., et al. “Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.BJOG : An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 114, no. 2, Feb. 2007, pp. 216–23. Epmc, doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01209.x.
Harville EW, Savitz DA, Dole N, Thorp JM, Herring AH. Psychological and biological markers of stress and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. 2007 Feb;114(2):216–223.
Journal cover image

Published In

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

DOI

EISSN

1471-0528

ISSN

1470-0328

Publication Date

February 2007

Volume

114

Issue

2

Start / End Page

216 / 223

Related Subject Headings

  • Vaginosis, Bacterial
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Saliva
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Pregnancy
  • Odds Ratio
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine