Sociodemographic and Biological Factors of Health Disparities of Mothers and Their Very Low Birth-Weight Infants.

The sample was a convenience sample of 88 mother-infant dyads from one NICU, so it may not represent other regions or care settings. The study could not recruit Hispanic or Asian mothers because their numbers were small at the site, so it does not speak to all racial and ethnic groups. Because the design measured associations, not assigned treatments, it cannot show that testosterone, cortisol, or social factors caused infant or maternal outcomes. Many outcomes were not associated with the factors tested, including several neonatal and maternal mental health relationships, so the findings are selective. Salivary hormone levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay, which can overestimate hormone levels; the authors say more specific methods would be useful. Follow-up was short, from birth to 40 weeks' gestational age, so longer-term infant development and maternal mental health were not examined. Prenatal glucocorticoid treatment, received by 85% of mothers, may have affected cortisol levels near birth, although the authors note the treatment effects usually last 7 days. Mothers dependent on narcotics or other recreational drugs, HIV positive, or with serious medical or psychological problems were excluded, so results do not apply to those groups.

The authors reported no competing interests. The supplied text does not state a funding source.

Do not conclude that maternal testosterone or cortisol caused infant problems or that salivary hormone testing should be used in NICU care. This was an association study in 88 mother-infant dyads, and the authors present these hormones as potential biomarkers for future research, not as a ready screening tool.