Changes in salivary oxytocin levels and bonding disorder in women from late pregnancy to early postpartum: A pilot study

What Was Tested

This observational study looks at Oxytocin.

This pilot study aimed to 1) follow the longitudinal changes in the salivary oxytocin level of pregnant women from late pregnancy to early postpartum, 2) examine the factors related to these changes, and 3) clarify the association of these changes with mother-infant bonding.

This study used a longitudinal observational design and questionnaires to obtain objective and subjective data.

Who Took Part

The age groups tagged for this paper are young adults and adults, women only.

Baseline data were evaluated using the Parental Bonding Instrument (25 items), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (20 items), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

Postpartum data were evaluated using the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale Japanese Version (10 items), Maternity Blues Scale (13 items), and 'Fatigue after Childbirth' using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS: 0-100 mm).

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as pilot.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Oxytocin study would be practical.

For oxytocin evaluation, saliva samples were collected and their oxytocin levels were measured at 4-time points [i.e., 1) 36-37 gestation weeks, 2) 38-39 gestation weeks, 3) 1-2 days postpartum, 4) 4-5 days postpartum].

The oxytocin level was assayed in duplicates by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Depression, Postpartum, Fatigue, Longitudinal Studies, Mother-Child Relations, Object Attachment, Oxytocin and Pilot Projects.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a pilot study of Oxytocin.

Results are reported in around 8 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2019 (PloS one), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Oxytocin compound page, all human trials.