Preconception Psychological Stress Linked to Abnormal Glucose Levels

FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For women attending a fertility center, preconception perceived psychological stress is positively associated with abnormal glucose levels during pregnancy, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues investigated whether preconception perceived stress is associated with glucose levels during pregnancy among women attending a fertility center from 2004 to 2019. Women completed a psychological stress survey before conception.

The researchers observed a positive association for psychological stress with mean abnormal glucose levels. For women in the first, second, and third tertiles of psychological stress, the adjusted marginal means of mean glucose levels were 115, 119, and 124 mg/dL, respectively. The probability of having abnormal glucose was increased 4 and 13 percent for women in the second and third tertiles of psychological stress, respectively, compared with those in the first tertile.

"Our results are of public health importance given the increasing rates of stress over the years and its effect on cardiovascular health," Mínguez-Alarcón said in a statement. "Women can try to lower their stress levels through a variety of strategies like being more active, avoiding alcohol and drugs, eating healthy, and avoiding isolation. Given the scarce literature in this field, our study has the potential to start important discussions."

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