Working Status of First-Time Postpartum Mothers and Telomere Length-A 1-Year Prospective Study

Nourit Houminer-Klepar; Shiran Bord; Elissa Epel; Jue Lin; Linoy Sultan; Orna Baron-Epel

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002966

Working Status of First-Time Postpartum Mothers and Telomere Length-A 1-Year Prospective Study

J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Dec 1;65(12):1036-1044. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002966. Epub 2023 Sep 12.

Authors

Nourit Houminer-Klepar¹, Shiran Bord, Elissa Epel, Jue Lin, Linoy Sultan, Orna Baron-Epel

Affiliation

¹ From the School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel (N.H.-K., O.B.-E.); Health Systems Management Department, The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Yezreel Valley, Israel (S.B.); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (E.E.); Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (J.L.); and Bnei Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel (L.S.).

PMID: 37705399
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002966

Abstract

Objective: Transitioning to motherhood can create work family conflicts affecting mothers' health. Although employment is generally associated with longer telomeres, this may diminish during the early years of child-rearing. This study aimed to assess the impact of work reentry on telomere length (TL) among first-time mothers.

Methods: In this 1-year prospective study, a total of 103 first-time postpartum mothers participated from two medical institutions in Northern Israel; they completed validated questionnaires, reported their current working status, and provided dried blood spots measuring TL.

Results: We found that working status significantly predicted change in TL and was negatively correlated with change in TL over time (β = -0.245; 95% confidence interval, -0.169, -0.018; P = 0.016).

Conclusions: Identifying ideal timing of work reentry is recommended for first-time postpartum mother's optimal health and TL.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Employment
Female
Humans
Mothers*
Postpartum Period*
Prospective Studies
Telomere