Antenatal Stress and Infants In MAR
The Effects of Antenatal Stress on the Newborn in Medically Assisted Reproduction: the SARA Study
IRCCS Eugenio Medea
100 participants
Apr 1, 2026
OBSERVATIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this observational longitudinal study is to examine the association between prenatal psychological and biological stress and neonatal health outcomes in couples who conceived through medically assisted reproduction. The study includes expectant mothers and fathers during pregnancy and at birth and focuses on pregnancies achieved through homologous fertilization and heterologous fertilization via oocyte donation. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. How do psychological and biological indicators of stress manifest during pregnancy in women who have undergone medically assisted reproduction? 2. Is prenatal maternal stress associated with neonatal health outcomes independently of genetic factors? 3. How does perceived stress present in expectant fathers during pregnancy? Researchers will compare couples who conceived through homologous fertilization with couples who conceived through heterologous fertilization via oocyte donation to understand whether associations between prenatal maternal stress and neonatal outcomes are independent of shared genetic background. Participants will: * Complete a remote eligibility assessment collecting information on pregnancy characteristics, parental health, and maternal psychological well-being * Complete online questionnaires at multiple time points during pregnancy and at birth assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and self-efficacy (both parents), as well as pregnancy-specific measures and prenatal bonding (mothers only) * In late pregnancy, mothers will collect saliva samples at home over two consecutive days to assess biological markers of stress (cortisol and alpha-amylase)
Eligibility
Plain Language Summary
Simplified for easier understanding
This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
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Interventions
psychological and biological multimodal assessment of stress
Locations(1)
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NCT07408453