Prenatal allostatic load and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
PeerJSep 24, 2026 (epub)
Mengjie Zhao, Hanyue Zheng, Dengyan Qi et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between prenatal allostatic load (AL) and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in a population of 8,795 pregnant women. The study found that high prenatal AL significantly increased the risk of preterm birth (OR = 1.29) and preeclampsia (OR = 2.31), while showing no significant association with low birth weight.
Key findings
- High prenatal AL was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.04-1.60]).
- High prenatal AL was linked to a higher risk of preeclampsia (OR = 2.31, 95% CI [1.42-3.76]).
- No significant association was found between high prenatal AL and low birth weight (OR = 1.10, 95% CI [0.95-1.26]).
Why it matters
Understanding the impact of prenatal allostatic load on adverse pregnancy outcomes can help inform prenatal health strategies aimed at reducing risks associated with stress during pregnancy.
What to keep in mind
High methodological heterogeneity among studies limits the direct clinical application of the findings.