Doctoral Dissertation Research: Inflammation and mother-infant dynamics in an industrialized environment

University Of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

Fundamental research in human biology has provided insight into the complexity of breastfeeding as a unique form of maternal investment that is responsive to offspring cues, sensitive to environmental inputs, and capable of influencing short- and long-term offspring outcomes. While much of this research has focused on implications for infant physiology, comparatively little is known about the biological determinants and impacts of breastfeeding practices among mothers. This doctoral dissertation project will investigate the maternal physiological dynamics of breastfeeding, advancing knowledge about the ways in which immune function, physiological status, and behavior are interrelated in humans. The research may also inform public health research and practice about breastfeeding behaviors. The project will facilitate graduate and undergraduate training and mentoring, and research outcomes will be shared with the participant community as well as a broader research and public audience. Few studies have directly examined the link between maternal immune function, maternal physiological status, and breastfeeding behavior in humans during the perinatal period. This study will longitudinally measure breastfeeding behavior, immunological biomarkers, and perceived physical and mental well-being among a heterogenous sample of pregnant and postpartum women in the United States, a population exhibiting unprecedented variation in breastfeeding behavior. The resulting data will be used to test two overarching hypotheses: (1) heightened inflammatory activation in late pregnancy will predict increased breastfeeding difficulties and impaired maternal physiological status, and (2) continuation of skin-to-skin breastfeeding across the early postpartum period will correspond to better regulated immune “bounce-back” and enhanced maternal physiological status. Findings generated by this study have the potential to inform current public health strategies to (1) identify mothers who may experience heightened barriers to breastfeeding success, (2) provide support for women to continue breastfeeding, and (3) support mental and physical maternal well-being during the transition from pregnancy to the postpartum period. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.