• Carmen Giurgescu.
• Department of Women, Children, and Family Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. carmeng7@uic.edu
• J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2009 Jul 1;38(4):377-90.

ObjectiveTo examine the evidence related to the relationship between maternal cortisol levels and preterm birth.Data SourcesA search of Medline, PubMed, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature was conducted using the keywords preterm birth, preterm delivery, premature birth, and cortisol.Study SelectionFifteen studies published in English were selected based on the inclusion criteria. There were no limitations on the dates of publication.Data ExtractionThe data extracted were related to the gestational age at collection of biological samples, time of day at collection, and differences in cortisol levels between preterm and full-term groups.Data SynthesisThe majority of the studies suggested that maternal cortisol levels are related to preterm birth. Women with higher levels of cortisol had higher risk of having a preterm birth.ConclusionsResearchers can use the findings of this review to develop future studies that examine the relationship between cortisol levels and preterm birth. Health care providers need to assess pregnant women's stress levels more closely and provide appropriate referrals and treatment to ensure that any actions that may possibly lower stress are being taken to reduce the likelihood of preterm birth.

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