Physiological Synchrony Among Romantic Dyads
Endocrinological Changes During the Transition to Parenthood
Methods
Search Strategy
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Selected Studies
Quality Assessment of Included Reviews
Results
Study Characteristics and Quality
Sample Characteristics
References | Country | Subjects (N = couples) | Age females (mean or median) | Age males (mean median or range) | Number of children |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aviv et al. (2023) | USA | 91 | NR | 33.35 (= mean) | 1 |
Berg & Wynne-Edwards (2002) | Canada | 9 | 31 (= median) | 33 (= median) | 1 |
Braren et al. (2020) | USA, UK and the Netherlands | 385 | 32.42 (= mean) | 33.90 (= mean) | 1 |
Braren et al. (2021) | USA, UK and the Netherlands | 358 | 32.36 (= mean) | 34.02 (= mean) | 1 |
Cárdenas et al. (2023) | USA | 98 (prenatal), 78 (postpartum) | 31.22 (= mean) | 33.21 (= mean) | 1 |
Edelstein et al. (2015) | USA | 29 | 29.41 (= mean) | 30.48 (= mean) | 1 |
Gordon et al. (2010) | Israel | 80 | 27.24 (= mean) | 29.45 (= mean) | 1 |
Gordon et al. (2017) | Israel | 80 | 27.72 (= mean) | 29.28 (= mean) | 1 |
Khaled et al. (2021) | USA | 82 | 31.3 (= mean) | 33.3 (= mean) | 1 |
Saxbe et al. (2015) | USA | 122 | 29.31 (= mean) | 31.75 (= mean) | 1 to 3 |
Saxbe et al. (2017) | USA | 27 | 29.19 (= mean) | 30.33 (= mean) | 1 |
Sim et al. (2020) | USA | 29 | 29.07 (= mean) | 30.1 (= mean) | 1 |
Storey et al. (2000) | Canada | 31 4 groups (early prenatal n = 12; late prenatal n = 8; early postnatal n = 9; late postnatal n = 8) | 25–40 (= range) | 25–40 (= range) | 1 or more |
Hormone Assessments
Hormonal Linkage
References | Design | Time of measurement | Hormone(s) assessed | Specimen | Standardized sampling time | Statistical measure used | Relevant findings | Additional outcome variable | Linkage prenatal or postpartum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aviv et al. (2023) | Cohort study 1 sample at 1 time | ~ 20–35-weeks of gestation | Prolactin | Plasma | Late afternoon | Pearson correlation coefficient and Multilevel modeling | Positive prenatal correlation for prolactin (r = 0.225, p = .039). This also held in a regression model (b = 0.05, ß = 0.05, p = .05) | No | Prenatal |
Berg & Wynne-Edwards (2002) | Longitudinal study 229 time- and date-matched samples from 7 time points | From second trimester up to 2–3 months postpartum (second trimester, third trimester, last month, last week, 1 week postpartum, 1 month postpartum, 2–3 months postpartum) | Testosterone, cortisol, estradiol | Saliva | No | Pearson correlation coefficient | Positive prenatal correlation for cortisol (r = 0.24 ± 0.10, p = .04). No other significant findings | No | Prenatal |
Braren et al. (2020) | Cohort study 3 samples on 2 consecutive days | ~ 36 weeks of gestation | Cortisol | Saliva | Sample 1: immediately upon waking, sample 2: 30 min. after first sample, sample 3: immediately before bedtime | Multilevel modeling | Significant small positive within-dyad linkage between maternal and paternal cortisol (b = 0.04, ß = 0.07, p = .04) | Cortisol linkage was significantly associated with maternal psychological stress (b = 0.13, ß = 0.18, p < .001), not paternal stress | Prenatal |
Braren et al. (2021) | Cohort study 3 samples on 2 consecutive days | ~ 36 weeks of gestation | Cortisol | Saliva | Sample 1: immediately upon waking, sample 2: 30 min. after first sample, sample 3: immediately before bedtime | Multilevel modeling | Significant positive within-dyad linkage between maternal and paternal cortisol (b = .012, ß = .02, p < .001) | Cortisol linkage positively correlated with paternal sensitivity at 14 months (p = .11). High cortisol linkage predicted infant executive function performance at 24 months in the presence of high paternal cortisol (ß = 0.29, 95% CI [0.11, 0.46] | Prenatal |
Edelstein et al. (2015) | Longitudinal study 2 samples from 4 time points | ~ 8-week intervals from weeks 12, 20, 28, and 36 of gestation | Testosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone | Saliva | 12:30 to 18:30; 20-min. interval between the 2 samples per time point | Pearson correlation | Significant averaged within-dyad linkage across all time points for progesterone (p < .01), cortisol (p < .05), and testosterone (p < .10). No significant findings for estradiol | No | Prenatal |
Khaled et al. (2021) | Longitudinal study 6 samples from 1 time point | Prenatal sample collection during 20–25 weeks of gestation, consisting of 6 samples: at baseline; baseline + 20 min.; baseline + 35 min.; baseline + 50 min.; baseline + 70 min.; baseline + 90 min | Cortisol | Saliva | At or after 14:00 | Multilevel Modeling | Positive within-dyad associations for cortisol linkage (mothers, ß = 0.17(p < .01); fathers, ß = 0.22, (p < .01) | Stronger cortisol linkage in couples was significantly associated with less negative conflict behavior for mothers (ß = -0,10, p = .00) and fathers (ß = -0,10, p = .02) on the day of prenatal sample collection. Stronger prenatal cortisol linkage was associated with fewer paternal PPD symptoms (ß = −0,24, p = .03). No significant association with maternal PPD | Prenatal |
Saxbe et al. (2017) | Longitudinal study 2 samples from 4 time points | ~ 8-week intervals from weeks 12, 20, 28, and 36 of gestation | Testosterone | Saliva | 12:30 to 18:30; 20-min. interval between the 2 samples per time point | Pearson Correlation and Multilevel Modeling | Significant within-dyad associations in weeks 28 and 36 of gestation (p < .05); no significant associations for weeks 12 and 20 | Paternal coregulation with partner during the four time points was predictive of his postpartum relationship investment (p < .05). No such association was found for maternal investment | Prenatal |
Sim et al. (2020) | Longitudinal study 2 samples from 4 time points | ~ 8-week intervals from weeks 12, 20, 28, and 36 of gestation | Testosterone | Saliva | 12:30–18:30; 20-min. interval between the 2 samples per time point | Pearson correlation | Significant positive within-dyad association at 36 weeks of gestation (r = 0.44, p = .03); no significant correlations for the remaining time points | No | Prenatal |
Storey et al. (2000) | Cohort study 1 sample at 1 of 4 times | Sample divided into 4 groups: 1 = 16–35 weeks of gestation; 2 = 37–40 weeks of gestation; 3 = up to 3 weeks postpartum; 4 = 4–7 weeks postpartum | Cortisol | Plasma | 16:00–20:00 | Pearson correlation | Significant positive within-dyad association for cortisol in the combined (group 1 and 2) prenatal groups (r = 0.44, p = .01). No other significant combined associations | No | Prenatal |
Gordon et al. (2010) | Longitudinal study 2 samples from 2 time points | First postpartum weeks and 6 months postpartum | Oxytocin | Plasma | 16:00–20:00 | Pearson correlation | Significant within-dyad linkage in the first weeks (p < .05) and 6 months postpartum (p < .01) | No | Postpartum |
Gordon et al. (2017) | Longitudinal study 2 samples from 2 time points | 1 and 6 months postpartum | Testosterone and oxytocin | Plasma | 16:00–20:00 | Pearson correlation | Significant within-dyad correlations in oxytocin levels for both time points (t1: r = 0.30, p = .011; t2: r = 0.28, p = .045). No significant associations for testosterone | No | Postpartum |
Saxbe et al. (2015) | Longitudinal study 1390 samples collected over 242 sampling days | During first 2 years postpartum (female subjects, who got pregnant during the study duration, were assessed during their second or third trimester, accounting for 44 matched days in total) | Cortisol | Saliva | Sample 1: immediately upon waking, sample 2: 30 min. after first sample, sample 3: immediately before bedtime | Multilevel Modeling | Significant within-dyad linkage for cortisol (mothers, ß = 0.46, t = 9.35, p = .01; fathers, ß = 0.54, t = 12.07, p = .001) | Couples with higher relationship aggression at 1-year postpartum had stronger cortisol linkage (p < .05) | Postpartum |
Cárdenas et al.(2023) | Longitudinal study 6 samples from 2 time points | ~ 28-weeks of gestation and ~ 7 months postpartum; Both sample collection times consisted of 6 samples: at baseline; baseline + 20 min.; baseline + 35 min.; baseline + 50 min.; baseline + 70 min.; baseline + 90 min.; here, the first, third, and sixth sample were used for analysis | Testosterone | Saliva | 14:00–18:00 | Bayesian multilevel modeling | Positive within-dyad associations for testosterone linkage during prenatal (γ01 = 0.69, 95% CI [0.19, 1.20]) and postpartum period ( γ01 = 1.33, 95% CI [0.71, 1.94]) | Stronger prenatal couple linkage predicted higher ratings of paternal postpartum relationship quality (γ04 = 0.03, 95% CI [0, 0.07]) | Prenatal and postpartum |