Women's Health Commons^™

The Black Identity, Hair Product Use, And Breast Cancer Scale, Dede Teteh, Marissa Ericson, Sabine Monice, Lenna Dawkins-Moultin, Nasim Bahadorani, Phyllis Clark, Eudora Mitchell, Lindsey S. Treviño, Adana Llanos, Rick Kittles, Susanne Montgomery

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Introduction
Across the African Diaspora, hair is synonymous with identity. As such, Black women use a variety of hair products, which often contain more endocrine-disrupting chemicals than products used by women of other races. An emerging body of research is linking chemicals in hair products to breast cancer, but there is no validated instrument that measures constructs related to hair, identity, and breast health. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the Black Identity, Hair Product Use, and Breast Cancer Scale (BHBS) in a diverse sample of Black women to measure the social and cultural constructs associated …

The Complex Relationship Between Celebrity-Driven Magazines And Depictions Of Fertility At Advanced Reproductive Ages, Brennan Peterson

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"In this issue of the Journal of Women’s Health, Willson and colleagues explore how age and fertility are portrayed in celebrity-driven magazines.¹ Specifically, they examine if popular media depictions of celebrity pregnancies present accurate information related to age and fertility, the use of assisted reproductive technology (ARTs), and pregnancy-related risks associated with advanced maternal age (AMA >35 years). Their study provides an important viewpoint related to the impact of media on reproductive perceptions, and its potential intersection with delayed childbearing, fertility awareness, and reproductive decision making."

Parameterizing And Validating Existing Algorithms For Identifying Out-Of-Bed Time Using Hip-Worn Accelerometer Data From Older Women, John Belletierre, Yiliang Zhang, Vincent Berardi, Kelsie M. Full, Jacqueline Kerr, Michael J. Lamonte, Kelly R. Evenson, Melbourne Hovell, Andrea Z. Lacroix, Chongzhi Di

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: To parameterize and validate two existing algorithms for identifying out-of-bed time using 24-hour hip-worn accelerometer data from older women. Approach: Overall, 628 women (80±6 years old) wore ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers 24 hours/day for up to 7 days and concurrently completed sleep-logs. Trained staff used a validated visual analysis protocol to measure in-bed periods on accelerometer tracings (criterion). The Tracy and McVeigh algorithms were adapted for optimal use in older adults. A training set of 314 women was used to choose two key thresholds by maximizing the sum of sensitivity and specificity for each algorithm and data (vertical axis, VA, …

Oxytocin Receptor Gene (Oxtr) And Father Support Interact To Predict Depressive Symptoms Postpartum, Parambir Bhatti, Taylor Delaney, Michael Poulin, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a debilitating mental illness affecting approximately 13% of mothers after birth. Both genetic and psychosocial factors contribute to PPD risk, but very little is known about how these factors interact. We tested whether the rs53576 polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene accounts for variation in the impact of low social support as a risk factor for depression among mothers during the perinatal period. New mothers (N = 220) provided saliva or blood DNA samples and completed surveys assessing PPD symptoms and perceived social support. In a significant interaction, social support from the …

Measuring Novel Antecedents Of Mental Illness: The Questionnaire Of Unpredictability In Childhood, Laura M. Glynn, Hal S. Stern, Mariann A. Howland, Victoria B. Risbrough, Dewleen G. Baker, Caroline M. Nievergelt, Tallie Z. Baram, Elysia P. Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Increasing evidence indicates that, in addition to poverty, maternal depression, and other well-established factors, unpredictability of maternal and environmental signals early in life influences trajectories of brain development, determining risk for subsequent mental illness. However, whereas most risk factors for later vulnerability to mental illness are readily measured using existing, clinically available tools, there are no similar measures for assessing early-life unpredictability. Here we validate the Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC) and examine its associations with mental health in the context of other indicators of childhood adversity (e.g., traumatic life events, socioeconomic status, and parenting quality). The QUIC was …

Initiating Patient Discussions About Oocyte Cryopreservation: Attitudes Of Obstetrics And Gynaecology Resident Physicians, Brennan Peterson, C. Gordon, Julia K. Boehm, M. C. Inhorn, P. Patrizio

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study examined the attitudes of obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN) resident physicians to initiating patient discussions regarding medical and elective oocyte cryopreservation (OC). The study used a cross-sectional online survey of OB/GYN medical residents in the USA, sampled from residency programmes approved by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education. In total, 208 medical residents, distributed evenly between postgraduate years 1–4, participated in the study. Residents' fertility knowledge and attitudes to initiating discussions about OC were gathered. Forty percent (n = 83) believed that OB/GYN residents should initiate discussions about OC with patients (initiators), while 60% (n = 125) did …

Maternal Programming: Application Of A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective, Laura M. Glynn, Mariann A. Howland, Molly Fox

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The fetal phase of life has long been recognized as a sensitive period of development. Here we posit that pregnancy represents a simultaneous sensitive period for the adult female with broad and persisting consequences for her health and development, including risk for psychopathology. In this review, we examine the transition to motherhood through the lens of developmental psychopathology. Specifically, we summarize the typical and atypical changes in brain and behavior that characterize the perinatal period. We highlight how the exceptional neuroplasticity exhibited by women during this life phase may account for increased vulnerability for psychopathology. Further, we discuss several modes …

Women’S Pregnancy Life History And Alzheimer’S Risk: Can Immunoregulation Explain The Link?, Molly Fox, Carlo Berzuini, Leslie A. Knapp, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background:

Pregnancy is associated with improvement in immunoregulation that persists into the geriatric phase. Impaired immunoregulation is implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Hence, we investigate the relationship between pregnancy and AD. Methods:

Cross-sectional cohort of British women (N = 95). Cox proportional hazards modeling assessed the putative effects of cumulative months pregnant on AD risk and the mutually adjusted effects of counts of first and third trimesters on AD risk. Results:

Cumulative number of months pregnant, was associated with lower AD risk (β = −1.90, exp(β) = 0.15, P = .02). Cumulative number of first trimesters …

Taking An Hpv Vaccine Research-Tested Intervention To Scale In A Clinical Setting, Suellen Hopfer, Anne E. Ray, Michael L. Hecht, Michelle Miller-Day, Rhonda Belue, Gregory Zimet, W. Douglas Evans, Francis X. Mckee

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Research tested interventions are seldom ready for wide spread use. Successful intervention adaptation to clinical settings demands an iterative process with target audience feedback. We describe the adaptation process of implementing an NCI research tested HPV vaccine intervention, Women's Stories, to a community clinic context (Planned Parenthood). Five phases are described for the adaptation of content and the development of a health kiosk intervention delivery system: (a) informant interviews with the target audience of young adult, predominantly African-American women, (b) translating HPV vaccine decision narratives into prevention messages, (c) health kiosk interface design, (d) conducting a usability study of the …

Combinational Sirna Delivery Using Hyaluronic Acid Modified Amphiphilic Polyplexes Against Cell Cycle And Phosphatase Proteins To Inhibit Growth And Migration Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Manoj B. Parmar, Daniel Nisakar Meenakshi Sundaram, Remant Bahadur Kc, Robert Maranchuk, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Judith C. Hugh, Raimar Löbenberg, Hasan Uludağ

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer with few therapeutic options if it recurs after adjuvant chemotherapy. RNA interference could be an alternative therapy for metastatic breast cancer, where small interfering RNA (siRNA) can silence the expression of aberrant genes critical for growth and migration of malignant cells. Here, we formulated a siRNA delivery system using lipid-substituted polyethylenimine (PEI) and hyaluronic acid (HA), and characterized the size, ζ-potential and cellular uptake of the nanoparticulate delivery system. Higher cellular uptake of siRNA by the tailored PEI/HA formulation suggested better interaction of complexes with breast cancer cells due to …

The Dynamics Of Stress And Fatigue Across Menopause: Attractors, Coupling, And Resilience, Lisa Taylor-Swanson, Alexander E. Wong, David Pincus, Jonathan E. Butner, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Mary Koithan, Kathryn Wann, Nancy F. Woods

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the regulatory dynamics between stress and fatigue experienced by women during the menopausal transition (MT) and early postmenopause (EPM). Fatigue and perceived stress are commonly experienced by women during the MT and EPM. We sought to discover relationships between these symptoms and to employ these symptoms as possible markers for resilience.

Methods:

Participants were drawn from the longitudinal Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Eligible women completed questionnaires on 60+ occasions (annual health reports and monthly health diaries) (n = 56 women). The total number of observations across the sample was 4,224. …

A Validated Measure For Fertility Awareness: An Essential Step Toward Informed Reproductive Decision-Making, Brennan Peterson

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"The efforts by Kudesia and colleagues (1) to create and validate a fertility awareness survey is a vital development in the field of reproductive health care. The 29-item Fertility and Infertility Treatment Knowledge Score (FIT-KS) was created to measure fertility awareness and infertility treatment knowledge in the general population and among medical trainees. Using a combination of existing questionnaires, consultation with specialists in test construction, and clinical recommendations of an expert panel of 15 reproductive endocrinologists, the FIT-KS is the first of its kind in the United States. The authors should be commended for their foresight and attempts to address …

Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Patient Knowledge On Adherence To Oral Contraceptives Using The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (Mmas-8), Daniel M. Tomaszewski, Benjamin D. Aronson, Margarette Kading, Donald Morisky

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Preconception care, including family planning, is a vital component of healthcare for women of reproductive age. An average female spends the majority of her reproductive life trying to prevent a pregnancy. In order to prevent unintended pregnancy, women often rely on the use of hormonal contraceptives. In the United States, the majority of hormonal contraceptive users are prescribed oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). Reduced adherence to OCPs decreases their ability to prevent pregnancy. The study aimed to measure OCP adherence among female college students, and explore the relationship between OCP adherence, knowledge, and self-efficacy.

Methods: This cross-sectional study …

My Crown And Glory: Community, Identity, Culture, And Black Women’S Concerns Of Hair Product-Related Breast Cancer Risk, Dede K. Teteh, Susanne B. Montgomery, Sabine Monice, Laura Stiel, Phyllis Y. Clark, Eudora Mitchell

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Breast cancer (BC) incidence rates for Black and non-Hispanic White women have recently converged; however, Black women continue to die at higher rates from the disease. Black women also use hair products containing hormonally active chemicals at higher rates than other races and ethnic groups. Studies now link chemical components in hair and personal care products to breast cancer risk. Using a community-based participatory research approach, this qualitative study explored community concerns about the role of hair products on breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews using triangulation to assure relevant perspectives (women with and without breast cancer …

Activity Of Distinct Growth Factor Receptor Network Components In Breast Tumors Uncovers Two Biologically Relevant Subtypes, Moom Roosan, Shelley M. Macneil, David F. Jenkins, Gajendra Shrestha, Sydney R. Wyatt, Jasmine A. Mcquerry, Stephen R. Piccolo, Laura M. Heiser, Joe W. Gray, W. Evan Johnson, Andrea H. Bild

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background
The growth factor receptor network (GFRN) plays a significant role in driving key oncogenic processes. However, assessment of global GFRN activity is challenging due to complex crosstalk among GFRN components, or pathways, and the inability to study complex signaling networks in patient tumors. Here, pathway-specific genomic signatures were used to interrogate GFRN activity in breast tumors and the consequent phenotypic impact of GRFN activity patterns.

Methods
Novel pathway signatures were generated in human primary mammary epithelial cells by overexpressing key genes from GFRN pathways (HER2, IGF1R, AKT1, EGFR, KRAS (G12V), RAF1, BAD). The pathway analysis toolkit Adaptive Signature Selection …

Depression And Body Mass Index, Differences By Education: Evidence From A Population-Based Study Of Adult Women In The U.S. Buffalo-Niagara Region, Ashley Wendell Kranjac, Jing Nie, Maurizio Trevisan, Jo L. Freudenheim

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The relationship between obesity and depression is well described. However, the evidence linking depression and body mass index (BMI) across the broad range of body size is less consistent. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and BMI in a sample of adult women in the Buffalo-Niagara region between 1997 and 2001. Using logistic regression, we investigated whether increased weight status beyond normal-weight was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, and if educational attainment modified the association between obesity and depression. There was a trend for increased weight status to be associated with higher depressive symptoms (obese II/III, …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Intentions Toward Fertility Awareness And Oocyte Cryopreservation Among Obstetrics And Gynecology Resident Physicians, L. Yu, Brennan Peterson, M. C. Inhorn, Julia K. Boehm, P. Patrizio

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

STUDY QUESTION What knowledge, attitudes and intentions do US obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residents have toward discussing age-related fertility decline and oocyte cryopreservation with their patients?

SUMMARY ANSWER Most OB/GYN residents believe that age-related fertility decline, but not oocyte cryopreservation, should be discussed during well-woman annual exams; furthermore, nearly half of residents overestimated the age at which female fertility markedly declines.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Oocyte cryopreservation can be utilized to preserve fertility potential. Currently, no studies of US OB/GYN residents exist that question their knowledge, attitudes, and intentions toward discussing age-related fertility decline and oocyte cryopreservation with patients.

STUDY …

Evaluating The Impact Of Pharmacist Health Education On The Perceptions Of The Pharmacist’S Role Among Women Living In A Homeless Shelter, Laura V. Tsu, Kelsey Buckley, Sarah Nguyen, Jennifer Kohn

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives: To determine the impact of pharmacist-provided educational seminars on the participant’s perception of the pharmacist’s role in providing women’s health education. Secondary objectives include the participant’s level of perceived benefit from the information provided during each presentation, as well as determining characteristics of participants who are interested in attending seminars.

Methods: This is a prospective study conducted within a homeless women’s shelter in Phoenix, Arizona. Pharmacists and pharmacy students provided 10 monthly educational seminars on topics related to women’s health. Participants completed a pre- and post-seminar survey regarding their perceptions of the presentations and pharmacists.

Results: …

Real-Time Detection Of Breast Cancer Cells Using Peptidefunctionalized Microcantilever Arrays, Hashem Etayash, Keren Jiang, Sarfuddin Azmi, Thomas Thundat, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Ligand-directed targeting and capturing of cancer cells is a new approach for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Ligands such as antibodies have been successfully used for capturing cancer cells and an antibody based system (CellSearch®) is currently used clinically to enumerate CTCs. Here we report the use of a peptide moiety in conjunction with a microcantilever array system to selectively detect CTCs resulting from cancer, specifically breast cancer. A sensing microcantilever, functionalized with a breast cancer specific peptide 18-4 (WxEAAYQrFL), showed significant deflection on cancer cell (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) binding compared to when exposed to noncancerous (MCF10A and HUVEC) cells. …

Intra-Individual Consistency In Endocrine Profiles Across Successive Pregnancies, Molly Fox, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Context: It is yet unknown how similar women’s hormone levels are during successive pregnancies, and very little is known about the degree to which siblings experience similar prenatal environments. Given the importance of understanding how women’s reproductive life-histories exert cumulative effects on health via hormone exposure, and the importance of understanding how fetal programming via endocrine signaling affects sibling trait concordance, here we address this important lacuna in the literature.

Objective: To investigate how consistent are women’s hormone profiles across two successive pregnancies.

Design and Main Outcome Measures: This longitudinal, prospective study followed a cohort of 28 …

Cronobacter Sakazakii Bacteremia In A 76-Year-Old Woman: A Case Report, Amy Y. Kang, Nancy Garcia, Bhanu Sud, Lee Nguyen

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cronobacter sakazakii, commonly found in contaminated infant formula and thereby causes infantile bacteremia, is rarely associated with adult bacteremia. We present the tenth case of C. sakazakii bacteremia in adults. The patient is a 76-year-old woman who resides in a skilled nursing facility and presents with risk factors including bullous pemphigoid, Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and anemia. The therapy was started with intravenous ciprofloxacin and vancomycinempirically. After consultation with an Infectious Diseases specialist, ciprofloxacin and vancomycin was replaced with meropenem based on the patient’s extensive bullous lesions, history of ESBL infections, and possible pneumonia. Later, …

The Effect Of Chronic Sleep Deprivation On Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha And Bone Health In Peri-Menopausal Rats, Megan Robertson, Derek Booth, Erin Wainwright, Cody Arbuckle, Frank Frisch

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is a common syndrome in the United States. The cessation of estrogen signaling coupled with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines from sleep deprivation leads to an even greater risk of post-menopausal osteoporosis by creating an imbalance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. With estrogen no longer present to regulate the concentration of osteoclasts and pro-inflammatory cytokines increasing production of osteoclasts, bone is degraded at a faster rate than it is formed. One of the most common treatments for osteoporosis is Zolendronate (a nitrogenous bisphosphonate), which decreases the number of osteoclasts in bone. This preliminary study looked at the effects on …

Is Postpartum Depression A Disease Of Modern Civilization?, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Martie Haselton

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Access to calorie-dense foods, medicine, and other comforts has made modern humans healthier than our prehistoric ancestors in many respects. However, the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease suggest that there are also drawbacks to modern living. Here, we address the question of whether the dramatic cultural changes that have occurred over the past century have inflated rates of postpartum depression, adding postpartum depression to the list of diseases of modern civilization. We review evidence from cross-cultural, epidemiological, and experimental studies documenting associations between postpartum depression and modern patterns of early weaning, diets deficient in essential fatty acids, low …

Resisting Pressure From Peers To Engage In Sexual Behavior: What Communication Strategies Do Early Adolescent Latino Girls Use?, Anne E. Norris, Jonathan Pettigrew, Michelle Miller-Day, Michael L. Hecht, Janet Hutchison, Kristi Campoe

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

A content analysis of early adolescent = 12.02 years) Latino girls’ (n = 44) responses to open-ended questions embedded in an electronic survey was conducted to explore strategies girls may use to resist peer pressure with respect to sexual behavior. Analysis yielded 341 codable response units, 74% of which were consistent with the REAL typology (i.e., refuse, explain, avoid, leave) previously identified in adolescent substance use research. However, strategies reflecting a lack of resistance (11%) and inconsistency with communication competence (e.g., aggression) were also noted (15%). Frequency of particular strategies varied depending on the situation described in the open-ended …

Pregnancy Anxiety And Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories, Heidi S. Kane, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Laura M. Glynn, Calvin J. Hobel, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Pregnancy anxiety is a potent predictor of adverse birth and infant outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine one potential mechanism whereby these effects may occur by testing associations between pregnancy anxiety and maternal salivary cortisol on 4 occasions during pregnancy in a sample of 448 women. Higher mean levels of pregnancy anxiety over the course of pregnancy predicted steeper increases in cortisol trajectories compared to lower pregnancy anxiety. Significant differences between cortisol trajectories emerged between 30 to 31 weeks of gestation. Results remained significant when adjusted for state anxiety and perceived stress. Neither changes in pregnancy …

Changes In Sleep Time And Sleep Quality Across The Ovulatory Cycle As A Function Of Fertility And Partner Attractiveness, Brooke N. Jenkins, Elizabeth G. Pillsworth, Aaron T. Goetz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Research suggests that near ovulation women tend to consume fewer calories and engage in more physical activity; they are judged to be more attractive, express greater preferences for masculine and symmetrical men, and experience increases in sexual desire for men other than their primary partners. Some of these cycle phase shifts are moderated by partner attractiveness and interpreted as strategic responses to women’s current reproductive context. The present study investigated changes in sleep across the ovulatory cycle, based on the hypothesis that changes in sleep may reflect ancestral strategic shifts of time and energy toward reproductive activities. Participants completed a …

The Influence Of Hip Strength On Lower-Limb, Pelvis, And Trunk Kinematics And Coordination Patterns During Walking And Hopping In Healthy Women, Jo Armour Smith, John M. Popovich, Kornelia Kulig

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Study Design

Cross-sectional laboratory study.

Objectives

To compare peak lower-limb, pelvis, and trunk kinematics and interjoint and intersegmental coordination in women with strong and weak hip muscle performance.

Background

Persons with lower extremity musculoskeletal disorders often demonstrate a combination of weak hip musculature and altered kinematics during weight-bearing dynamic tasks. However, the association between hip strength and kinematics independent of pathology or pain is unclear.

Methods

Peak hip extensor and abductor torques were measured in 150 healthy young women. Of these, 10 fit the criteria for the strong group and 9 for the weak group, representing those with the strongest …

Does Breastfeeding Offer Protection Against Maternal Depressive Symptomatology? A Prospective Study From Pregnancy To 2 Years After Birth, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Martie G. Haselton, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Depression is the leading cause of disability in women (Nobel 2005) and is the most prevalent of all childbearing-related illnesses, affecting approximately 13% of women worldwide within the first 12 [...] Mothers who breastfeed typically exhibit lower levels of depressive symptomatology than mothers who do not. However, very few studies have investigated the directionality of this relationship. Of the prospective studies published, all but one focus exclusively on whether maternal depression reduces rates of subsequent breastfeeding. This study again examines this relationship, but also the reverse--that breastfeeding might predict lower levels of later depression. Using multilevel modeling, we investigated the …

Placental Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Mediates The Association Between Prenatal Social Support And Postpartum Depression, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Chander Arora, Calvin J. Hobel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Three decades of research point to both biological and psychological risk factors for postpartum depression, but very little research integrates the two. This study bridged this gap by testing whether prenatal social support predicted depressive symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum in a multiethnic sample of 210 women and whether the stress hormone placental corticotropinreleasing hormone (pCRH), measured at 19, 29, and 37 weeks’ gestation, mediated this relationship. We found that prenatal family support predicted significantly fewer depressive symptoms postpartum and more gradual increases in pCRH from 29 to 37 weeks’ gestation. Furthermore, steeper increases in pCRH during this same period …

Perceived Partner Support In Pregnancy Predicts Lower Maternal And Infant Distress, Lynlee R. Tanner Stapleton, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Erika Westling, Christine Rini, Laura M. Glynn, Calvin J. Hobel, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Maternal postpartum emotional distress is quite common and can pose significant risk to mothers and infants. The current study investigated mothers' relationships with their partners during pregnancy and tested the hypotheses that perception of prenatal partner support is a significant predictor of changes in maternal emotional distress from midpregnancy to postpartum, and contributes to maternal ratings of infant distress to novelty. Using a prospective longitudinal design, 272 adult pregnant women were interviewed regarding their partner support, relationship satisfaction, and interpersonal security (attachment style and willingness to seek out support), and they completed standardized measures of prenatal symptoms of depression and …