CONCEPTUALIZATIONS, MEASUREMENT, AND EFFECTS OF PRENATAL MATERNAL STRESS ON BIRTH OUTCOMES

This article analyzes the conceptual and methodological approaches whi ch have been used to investigate effects of prenatal maternal stress o n birth outcomes and highlights the major findings of this research. B y viewing the most widely used operational definitions of prenatal str ess in a broader theoretical framework, it can be seen that most studi es have failed to conceptualize stress reliably. This, in addition to common methodological and design flaws which are described in the arti cle, has produced equivocal findings about the role of stress in adver se birth outcomes such as preterm delivery and low birth weight. Recen t studies using more powerful, multidimensional approaches to stress d efinition and measurement provide more definitive evidence and suggest some precise effects. Implications and strategies for future research are presented.