Family cohesion, acculturation, maternal cortisol, and preterm birth in Mexican-American women

Figures & data

Table 1 Sample characteristics

	% total (n)	% preterm (n)
Demographics
Age (n = 470)
14–17 years	5.9 (28)	7.1 (2)
18–25 years	54.9 (258)	7.4 (19)
26–40 years	39.2 (184)	9.2 (11)
Household income, USD (n = 422)
<$25,000	71.1 (335)	6.9 (23)
≥$25,000	17.7 (83)	8.4 (7)
Marital status (n = 469)
Married	42.4 (198)	7.6 (15)
Not married	57.6 (269)	6.7 (18)
Country of birth (n = 470)
US-born	31.8 (149)	10.1 (15)*
Foreign-born	57.6 (269)	5.6 (18)*
Education (n = 467)
<High school	83.3 (389)	7.2 (28)
>High school	16.7 (78)	6.4 (5)
Medical insurance (n = 466)
Yes	34.1 (159)	10.1 (16)
No	65.9 (307)	5.5 (17)
Other characteristics
Body mass index (n = 459)
Underweight < 18.5	6 (28)	11.1 (3)
Normal 18.5–24.9	42.1 (196)	8.2 (16)
Overweight 25–29.9	29 (135)	6.7 (9)
Obese > 30	23 (107)	4.7 (5)
Infection at delivery (n = 470)
UTI	3.6 (17)	5.9 (1)
No UTI	96.4 (453)	6.8 (32)
GBS (n = 430)	16.7 (72)	12.5 (9)*
No GBS	83.3 (358)	4.8 (17)
STI (n = 434)	3.5 (15)	0 (0)
No STI	96.5 (419)	6.7 (28)
PTB history (n = 471)
Yes	7.9 (37)	16.2 (6)*
No	92.1 (434)	6.2 (27)
Preeclampsia at delivery (n = 433)
Yes	7.6 (33)	15.2 (5)*
No	92.4 (400)	6.0 (24)
Gravida (n = 463)
1	27.7 (128)	8.6 (11)
2	30.2 (140)	3.6 (5)
3	22.9 (106)	9.4 (10)
4	11.0 (51)	7.8 (4)
5	4.3 (20)	0.0 (0)
6+	3.9 (18)	16.7 (3)

Notes: Percentages and frequencies represent the number of non-missing cases for each of the sample characteristics.

* P < 0.05.

Abbreviations: GBS, group B Streptococcus; PTB, preterm birth; STI, sexually transmitted infection; UTI, urinary tract infection.

Figure 1 Family cohesion and cortisol predicting preterm birth. Grey areas represent standard errors. White areas represent regions of significant differences.

Figure 2 Family cohesion predicting preterm birth. Grey areas represent standard errors. White areas represent regions of significant differences.

Abbreviation: PTB, preterm birth.

Table 2 Parameter estimates for family cohesion moderator model

Model parameter	Estimate	Standard error	Estimate/standard error	P
Intercept	−2.97	0.24	12.46	0.000
Preeclampsia	1.09	0.56	1.96	0.050
History of PTB	0.78	0.65	1.04	0.297
Stress (log cortisol)	0.20	0.18	1.16	0.247
Family cohesion	0.24	0.23	1.07	0.285
History of PTB X family cohesion	−1.23	0.58	−2.12	0.034
Stress X family cohesion	−0.58	0.23	−2.57	0.010

Abbreviation: PTB, preterm birth.

Figure 3 Acculturation and Cortisol Predicting Preterm Birth. Grey areas represent standard errors. White areas represent regions of significant differences.

Table 3 Parameter estimates for acculturation moderator model

Model parameter	Estimate	Standard error	Estimate/standard error	P
Intercept	−2.89	0.23	12.49	0.000
Preeclampsia	1.17	0.56	2.09	0.037
History of PTB	1.22	0.54	2.26	0.024
Stress (log cortisol)	0.28	0.18	1.62	0.104
Acculturation	0.56	0.22	2.55	0.011
Stress X acculturation	0.51	0.21	2.43	0.015

Abbreviation: PTB, preterm birth.

Table 4 Supplemental parameter estimates for interaction models of family cohesion, acculturation and stress

Model	Model parameter	Estimate	Standard error	Estimate/standard error	P
Family cohesion	Intercept	−2.69	0.20	13.72	<0.001
	Stress (log cortisol)	0.20	0.17	1.14	0.255
	Family cohesion	0.02	0.20	0.08	0.936
	Stress X family cohesion	−0.52	0.21	−2.46	0.014
Acculturation	Intercept	−2.61	0.20	13.35	<0.001
	Stress (log cortisol)	0.31	0.17	1.87	0.061
	Acculturation	0.51	0.21	2.43	0.015
	Stress X acculturation	0.48	0.19	2.56	0.011