• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2011

Although iron is an essential mineral, excess iron intake during pregnancy may increase oxidative stress in tissues. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of iron overload during pregnancy on iron status and oxidative stress in maternal rats. Ten week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were mated with male rats. Non-pregnant (control) and pregnant rats were fed diets containing normal Fe (35 mg/kg diet), high Fe (350 mg/kg diet), or excess Fe (1,050 mg/kg diet) during pregnancy. Rats were sacrificed on pregnancy day 19. No significant difference in weight gain, diet intake, or litter size was observed according to iron intake levels. Furthermore, serum iron, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were not different among the rats administered the three levels of Fe both in the control and pregnant groups. However, the iron levels were lower in pregnant rats than those in the control. The liver and spleen iron contents increased significantly in the excess Fe group. An increase in liver ferritin levels with increasing iron intake was observed. Protein carbonyl content, as a marker of oxidative stress, increased significantly in liver with increasing iron intake but not malondialdehyde. Glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver of pregnant rats fed excess iron decreased significantly. Bcl-2 protein expression in the liver declined remarkably with increasing maternal iron intake in pregnant rats. Taken together, iron overload during pregnancy had little effect on hematology. However, the deposits of iron in the liver and the decline in antioxidant enzyme activity implied increased oxidative stress in tissues of the excess Fe group. These results suggest that excess iron intake during pregnancy increases oxidative stress in maternal tissues and may also affect fetal tissues.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.493-505
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to contribute to maternal nursing in the early postpartum stage and neonate nursing. Data were collected through self-report questionaires which were constructed to include perception of the newborn scale, parental role stress scale and anxiety scale. The subjects consisted of 81 mothers of preterm babies at seven hospitals in Seoul and Kyoungki-Do, from July 15 to September 30, 2000. Data were analysed by SPSS/PC using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. The mean of perception of the newborn in the early postpartum stage was 1.35. The mean of parental role stress was 10.78. The mean of anxiety of mother was 39.74. 2. There were significant positive correlation between parental role stress and anxiety of mothers. 3. There were not significant influencing general characteristics to perception of the newborn and parental role stress. General characteristics related to the level of anxiety were economic status, expectation of pregnancy, birthing order, newborn weight. The above findings indicated that the level of parental role stress and anxiety of preterm birth mothers were correlated. Therefore nursing intervention for reducing parental role stress and anxiety should be provided for preterm birth mothers.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2004

Purpose: The main purposes of this descriptive survey study were to describe parenting stress and needs of mothers of children with atopic dermatitis. Method: Data were collected from 111 mothers of children under 6 year-old with atopic dermatitis registered at one university affiliated medical center in Seoul. The instruments used for this study were a self-report questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index (PSI) Short Form by Abidin, and an open question to identify nursing needs. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation and contents analyses were done. Result: The mean score for parenting stress was 77.25 (range: 12-60), for parent domain 31.50 (range: 12-60), parent-child domain 21.02 (range: 11-55) and child domain was 24.72 (range: 11-51). There was a significant positive relationship between parenting stress and severity of symptom (r=0.192, p<.005). The maternal stressors included extra housework related to symptom management, treatment related to atopic dermatitis, personality and behavior of child, and financial problems. Conclusion: the mothers of children with atopic dermatitis have high parenting stress from various stressors and needs. It is recommended that nursing interventions should include stress management and take into consideration the educational needs of mothers.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.178-184
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure the effect of a group-based parent education program on parenting stress and attitude and comparing the same according to adult attachment styles. Methods: Twenty-two mothers who enrolled in the parent education program participated in our study. The participants filled in the Korean version of the Experience in Close Relationship Revised (ECR-R), Korean-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (K-PSI-SF), Maternal Behavior Research Instrument (MBRI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) before and after the program. We compared the pre - and post-scores of the groups and compared the differences in effect according to adult attachment styles. Results: For all study participants, the Parent Distress (p=0.023) and Total Parenting Stress (p=0.018) significantly declined after the parent education program. There were no differences in other variables. Within the secure attachment group, the Total Parenting Stress (p=0.008), Parent Distress (p=0.015), and Difficult Child (p=0.011) scores in the K-PSI-SF significantly decreased after participating in the program. The Difficult Child scores (p=0.040) significantly dropped in the K-PSI-SF post program within the secure attachment group, compared to the insecure attachment group. Conclusion: The group-based parent education program impacted parenting stress. Depending on the adult attachment styles, the effect of the program varied.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2011

During pregnancy, stress induces maternal glucocorticoid secretion, which in turn is known to affect structural malformation, retardation of growth, reduced birth weight of the fetus. As Hox genes are master transcription factors which fulfill critical roles in embryonic development, we aimed to explore the possibility that alterations of the Hox gene expression might be involved in stress-induced malformation. The pregnant mice were injected with dexamethasone at a dose of 1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg on day 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 p.c. (post coitum), as well as saline as control. Embryos of E11.5 and E18.5 were obtained by sacrificing pregnant animals. Weight and crown-rump length (CRL) were measured. RT-PCR was performed to examine the Hox gene expression levels. Embryos given dexamethasone at day 7.5~9.5 p.c. had small CRL and weighed less both in E11.5 and E18.5. The percentage of embryos showing abnormalities was high in groups received high dose of dexamethasone. To define the molecular basis for abnormal embryonic development, we analyzed the Hox gene expression pattern and found that many Hox genes display altered expression. Effects of prenatal dexamethasone treatment on embryonic development might be associated with the aberrant Hox gene expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 2008

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the laying stage which is a critical period for chick survival. We investigated the relationship of neonatal chick performance, brain antioxidant status and vitamin E supplementation level in hens. Starting at 17 weeks, hens were randomly divided into five groups. The control group received a basal diet without supplemental vitamin E (VE, dl-${\alpha}$-tocopherol acetate). Other groups received the same basal diet supplemented with vitamin E (40, 80, 120 and 160 mg/kg) through growth to egg production. Hens were artificially inseminated at 28 weeks of age and egg yolks were collected at day two. All remaining eggs were hatched. Yolk vitamin E content, hatchability and fertility of eggs were evaluated. Brains of the newly hatched chicks were further evaluated for their oxidative stress status, antioxidative status and vitamin E levels. Increased reproductive performance was observed in fertility and hatchability in the group supplemented at 40 mg/kg. Egg yolk and neonatal brain ${\alpha}$-tocopherol was highest in eggs from hens fed 120 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg supplemental vitamin E, respectively. Brain MDA, ROS and iron levels were significantly higher in unsupplemented hens (p<0.01). SOD activity was significantly higher in the group supplemented at 160 mg/kg than in all other groups. We concluded that maternal supplementation of vitamin E had beneficial effects on fertility, hatchability of eggs, neonatal brain oxidative status and SOD activity.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.14-28
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was to identify relationships of maternal psychosocial factors including mother's mood state, childcare stress, social support and sleep satisfaction with breastfeeding adaptation and immune substances in breast milk, especially secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-${\beta}2$). Methods: Data were collected from 84 mothers who delivered full-term infants by natural childbirth. Structured questionnaires and breast milk were collected at 2~4 days and 6 weeks postpartum. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression, and generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results: Scores for the breastfeeding adaptation scale were significantly related with child care stress, mood state and social support. Mother's anger was positively correlated with the level of sIgA in colostrum (p<.01). Immune substances of breastmilk was significantly influenced by time for milk collection (p<.001) and the type of breastfeeding (sIgA, p<.001, TGF-${\beta}2$, p=.003). Regression analysis showed that breastfeeding adaptation could be explained 59.1% by the type of breastfeeding, childcare stress, the Profile of Mood States, emotional support and sleep quality (F=16.67, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings from this study provide important concepts of breastfeeding adaptation program and explanation of psychosocial factors by immune substances in breast milk. Future research, specially, bio-maker research on breast milk should focus on the ways to improve breastfeeding adaptation.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.429-438
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• 2021

This study aims to prevent maternal social isolation by analyzing the causes of postpartum obesity and postpartum depression and stress in Korea. Gneral characteristics of mothers as a result of the study: 91.1% (102 people) answered that they had social experience, and only 8% (9 people) answered that they had no social experience. In the question of whether to return to society, 17.9% responded that they have already returned, 54.5% did not, and 18.8% were on maternity leave. As a result of examining the level of BMI increase among mothers through chi-square test of BMI changes before and after childbirth and general characteristics, 55% experienced below-average BMI increase; 45% experienced above-average BMI increase. Those in their 30s accounted for 40.2%, and those in their 40s accounted for 57.1%. Postpartum obesity and maternal psychological status (t-test): Mothers with postpartum obesity were more hypersensitive (t = -1.997, p = 0.048) and more prone to suffer from hard breathing (t = -1.930, p = 0.056), emptiness (t = -2.673, p = 0.010), and body numbness (t = -2.315, p = 0.024) than mothers who are not suffering from not postpartum obesity. Per the results of postpartum BMI increase and maternal psychological state (t-test) analysis, mothers with an average increase in postpartum BMI were more depressed than mothers who did not. Research Results - Postpartum obesity due to pregnancy and childbirth has been identified as an important individual cause affecting mental and physical problems after childbirth. In conclusion, I also think that the government should support the management of maternal obesity and the elimination of depression through the results of this study.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.429-435
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• 2023

Epidemiological studies suggest that maternal infection, maternal stress, and environmental risk factors during pregnancy increase the risk of brain development abnormalities associated with cognitive impairment in the offspring and increase susceptibility to schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Several animal models have demonstrated that maternal immune activation (MIA) is sufficient to induce abnormal brain development and behavioral defects in the fetus. When polyinosine:polycytodylic acid (poly I:C) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is commonly used in maternal immune activation animal models, was introduced into a pregnant dam, an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglial activity was observed in the offspring's brain. Microglia are brain-resident immune cells that play a mediating role in the central nervous system, and they are responsible for various functions, such as phagocytosis, synapse formation and branching, and angiogenesis. Several studies have reported that microglia are activated in MIA offspring and influence offspring behavior through interactions with various cytokines. In addition, it has been reported that they play an important role in brain circuits through interactions with neurons and astrocytes. However, there is controversy concerning whether microglia are essential to brain development or lead to behavioral defects, and the exact mechanism remains unknown. Therefore, for the potential diagnosis and treatment of brain developmental disorders, a functional study of microglia should be conducted using MIA animal models.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.227-242
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify the reality of the demand for parent education by mothers of adolescents based on their knowledge of raising a child, related to parenting efficacy and parenting stress. Mothers of 207 middle school adolescents completed questionnaires. Instruments included scales on demand for parent education (Lee, 1995 and Byun, 1999), parenting efficacy (Gibaud-Wallston & Wandersman, 1978), and parenting stress (Kim, 2004 Abidin, 1990). Results showed mothers high in knowledge of parenting had higher parenting efficacy and less parenting stress mothers high in maternalanxiety expressed higher demand for parenting understanding and improvement and for their children's academic adjustment; and mothers with higher maternal parenting stress expressed higher demand for parenting education.