2017 Volume 31 Issue 1 Pages 3-11
Objective
The aim of the present study was to examine the significance of the relationship between biomarkers and self-reported psychological distress as physiological and sociopsychological assessment indexes, respectively.
Methods
The Ichushi-Web, PubMed, CiNii, and Cochrane Library databases were searched, with “pregnancy,” “pregnant women,” “stress,” and “hormones” as keywords. Articles that discussed the use of indexes for physiological and sociopsychological assessments of mental stress experienced by pregnant women were extracted. As a result, 10 Japanese and 32 overseas articles were selected for review.
Results
Cortisol level was frequently used as a stress biomarker in all the articles. The number of biomarkers was greater in the overseas articles than in the Japanese articles. The results clarified that the physiological and sociopsychological assessment indexes were not always associated and correlated.
Conclusion
1) Physiological assessments should be chosen depending on the study purpose and biomarkers used in the study.
2) Indexes for physiological and sociopsychological assessments are not always associated and correlated.
3) Demographic factors and the survey period may affect the assessments of mental stress indexes among pregnant women.
4) Mental stress in pregnant women should be evaluated from various aspects such as a combination of plural physiological and sociopsychological assessment indexes, an interview method, and a prospective study.
