Oxytocin levels and bonding in a mother of maternal separation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21448
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06367 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Minami Kana 金沢大学, 保健学系, 助教 (30819389)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 母親 / オキシトシン / 愛着

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Oxytocin levels in the serum and saliva of 61 mothers who are one month to twelve months after birth were evaluated. The measurement was carried out in a total of four times: before feeding, during feeding, after feeding for 30 minutes, and after for one hour. As a result, an increase in oxytocin level was observed during lactation. A significant correlation was obserbed between one month and another periods.
It was found that there is significant negative colleration between the rate of rise oxytocin and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPSD)and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) scoers. But ther was no significant colleration between the rate of rise oxytocin and Stress Response Scale 18(SRS-18) and Maternal Attachment Inventory Japanese Version (MIBS-J) score.

Free Research Field

助産学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、産後1ヶ月～12ヶ月の母親の血中および唾液中OTレベルの動態を明らかにした研究であり、得られた結果は、いまだ数少ない基礎データとして、エビデンスの一助となる事が期待される。また、より侵襲性の低い唾液サンプルを用いて、授乳時の生理活性に伴うOTの変動を捉える事が出来たことにより、今後、医療行為を必要としないバイオマーカーとしての応用の発展に寄与できる可能性がある。また、今回、授乳時のOTレベルの上昇と、母親の産後うつ症状や不安との関連が示唆されたことから、これまで主流であった主観的評価に加え、客観的な生理指標として、母親のメンタルヘルスのスクリーニングへの応用が期待される。