Presentation 1: Maternal behavioral health during pregnancy and newborn telomere length

Abstract

Results: Stress moderated the effect of age on the basal cytokine composite, such that age was associated with increased inflammation only among those with higher stress [B=0.02, p<0.01]. No significant interaction effects were found in models predicting CRP or stimulated cytokines. Conclusion: Results support the hypothesis that stress exacerbates the negative effect of aging on basal cytokine levels. Stress did not moderate the association of age with CRP or stimulated cytokines. Background: The importance of health behaviors for age-related disease risk is well established. The period of embryonic and fetal life represents among the most sensitive developmental windows at which time the effects of maternal behavioral factors can impact the initial (newborn) setting of telomere length (TL). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the aggregate effect of maternal diet, sleep and physical activity during pregnancy on newborn TL. Methods: Diet quality (Mediterranean Diet Score), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and physical activity (Measurement of Physical Activity and Sport Questionnaire) were assessed in a sample of N=125 healthy pregnant women enrolled in a longitudinal prospective cohort study. A Behavioral Health Sum Score was computed as the sum of z-scores. Newborn TL was measured in cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) collected at birth using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Regression analysis showed that healthier maternal behavior (i.e. higher Behavioral Health Sum Score) during pregnancy was associated with longer CBMC TL (B=0.03, 95%CI: 0.006 to 0.05, p=.01), also after adjusting for maternal age, SES, pre-pregnancy BMI, child sex and gestational age at birth. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the importance of promoting maternal behavioral health during pregnancy.