Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40299067›Full record

ArticleJournal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)2025

Psychological, neuroendocrine and inflammatory stress responses in women after miscarriage or stillbirth: investigating early psychobiological adaptations to potential traumatic events.

Luis Gerber, Markus M Müller, Alexandra Oender, Sophia Urbanczyk, Peter Radermacher, Cosima Brucker, Barbara Stein, Christiane Waller, Nicolas Rohleder

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Luis GerberGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Markus M MüllerGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Alexandra OenderGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Sophia UrbanczykGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Peter RadermacherAnesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany.
Cosima BruckerUniversity Women's Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Barbara SteinGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Christiane WallerGeneral Hospital Nuremberg, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.
Nicolas RohlederChair of Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nägelsbachstr. 49a, 91052, Erlangen, Germany. nicolas.rohleder@fau.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMiscarriage (MC) and stillbirth (SB) can be considered as potentially traumatic events (PTE) and affect approximately 10-20% of all pregnancies. PTEs can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While the psychobiology of PTSD is well-understood, our knowledge on psychobiological adaptations shortly after a PTE is limited. This study aimed to shed light on early psychobiological changes associated with MC and SB.

methodsWe included 25 women who had experienced a MC/SB within the previous three months and compared them with 28 healthy control women. All participants were asked to attend a study appointment, during which they participated in a socially evaluated cold-pressor test (SECPT) to induce psychosocial stress. Saliva and blood samples were collected at rest, immediately and at 20, 45 and 90 min after the SECPT. We determined salivary cortisol levels and α-amylase (sAA) activity, and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations. We assessed symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression using self-report questionnaires.

resultsWomen who had experienced MC or SB reported significantly more symptoms of PTSD (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.001), when compared to the control group. Despite elevated psychological distress in the MC/SB group, there were no significant differences of salivary cortisol, sAA and IL-6 levels between the two groups at rest or after SECPT induced stress.

conclusionsDespite the high psychological strain on women after MC/SB, the stress is not yet reflected at a biological level. These results highlight the complex relationship between early trauma, PTSD symptoms, and biological responses. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of trauma related to MC/SB, and the development of PTSD, as well as the underlying mechanisms contributing to the observed psychological and biological changes.

Indexed as

Abortion, SpontaneousInflammationStillbirthStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticStress, PsychologicalAdultalpha-AmylasesAnxietyDepressionFemaleHumansHydrocortisoneInterleukin-6PregnancySalivaYoung Adultalpha-AmylasesHydrocortisoneIL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6Biological responseMiscarriagePost-traumatic stress disorderPotential traumatic eventStillbirthStress reactivityTrauma

Identifiers

PMID40299067
PMCPMC12535495

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.