New Research Reveals Strong Link Between Neighborhood Disorder and Increased Testosterone Levels During Pregnancy
A groundbreaking research study published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth has identified a significant connection between the degree of neighborhood disorder experienced by pregnant women and heightened levels of testosterone during pregnancy. This discovery is shedding new light on how our surroundings can directly impact prenatal development.
The origins of this research stem from a body of evidence indicating that one’s place of residence can profoundly affect their health. Previous studies have demonstrated that neighborhood characteristics, such as crime rates or the condition of buildings, can influence a wide range of health issues, from heart disease to mental health disorders.
These findings prompted researchers to delve deeper into the specific impact of neighborhood environments on pregnant women and their unborn children. While earlier studies have linked neighborhood features to pregnancy complications, such as preterm births, the physiological impact of these environments on pregnancy remained less understood.
Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, an assistant professor at Rutgers School of Public Health and a resident faculty at Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), explained, “Our lab focuses on environmental and psychosocial exposures that impact maternal and child health, particularly during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a crucial time for child health, and adverse exposures during this period can have long-term impacts on health in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.”
In order to investigate these connections, researchers conducted a study involving 262 pregnant women in their first trimester. The women were recruited from outpatient obstetric clinics associated with Rochester University Medical Center between December 2015 and April 2019. Specific criteria for participation were established to ensure a focused study group, such as being at least 18 years old, carrying a single baby, and communicating in English.
During the study, researchers closely monitored changes in the women’s hormones, analyzing blood samples for five key hormones: estrone, estradiol, estriol, total testosterone, and free testosterone. The results revealed that as the level of neighborhood disorder increased, so did the concentrations of testosterone in the women’s blood across their pregnancies, particularly for women carrying male babies.
Rivera-Núñez underscored the importance of the study’s findings, emphasizing, “Where you live impacts your health, in this case, pregnancy health.” However, she also noted that while the study found a correlation between neighborhood disorder and increased testosterone levels during pregnancy, it’s crucial to understand that correlation does not imply causation, and further research is needed.
Despite the significant findings, Rivera-Núñez emphasized the need for additional studies in other populations to fully understand the complex interactions between maternal stress, neighborhood characteristics, and population health. The groundbreaking research, authored by Megan C. Hansel, Hannah R. Murphy, Jessica Brunner, Christina Wang, Richard K. Miller, Thomas G. O’Connor, Emily S. Barrett, and Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, offers a remarkable contribution to our understanding of prenatal development and its connection to neighborhood environments.
