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Table 1 Characteristics of the mother-infant dyads by low and high milk cortisol groups

From: Interactions between cortisol and lipids in human milk

 

Whole population (n = 100)

Low milk cortisol < 3 nmol/L (n = 50)

High milk cortisol > 10 nmol/L (n = 50)

T-testa / χ2

OR (95% CI)b

Gestational age

40 [36–42]

40 [36–42]

40 [37–42]

t = − 1.49 (p = 0.14)

 

Infant gender

   

χ2 = 0.16 (p = 0.67)

1.28 (0.58, 2.81)

Boy

55 (55%)

29 (58%)

26 (52%)

  

Girl

45 (45%)

21 (42%)

24 (48%)

  

Birth mode

   

χ2 = 0.08 (p = 0.77)

0.72 (0.23, 2.24)

Vaginal delivery

86 (86%)

44 (88%)

42 (84%)

  

Cesarean section

14 (14%)

6 (12%)

8 (16%)

  

Mother’s BMI

24 [18–39]

25 [19–39]

24 [18–37]

t = 1.74 (p = 0.09)

 

Mother’s age

30 [24–44]

31 [24–44]

30 [24–37]

t = 2.24 (p = 0.03)

 

Education level

   

χ2 = 1.26 (p = 0.53)c

 

Secondary school / vocational education or lower

22 (22%)

12 (24%)

10 (20%)

  

Polytechnic

38 (38%)

17 (34%)

21 (42%)

  

University/graduate school

33 (33%)

19 (38%)

14 (28%)

  

Missing data

7 (7%)

2 (4%)

5 (10%)

  

Primiparous

   

χ2 = 2.69 (p = 0.10)

2.15 (0.95, 4.90)

No

39 (39%)

24 (48%)

15 (30%)

  

Yes

61 (61%)

26 (52%)

35 (70%)

  

Gestational diabetes

   

χ2 = 2.82 (p = 0.09)

3.24 (0.96, 11.00)

Yes

15 (15%)

11 (22%)

4 (8%)

  

No

85 (85%)

39 (78%)

46 (92%)

  

Exclusive breastfeeding

   

χ2 = 0.9 (p = 0.34)

0.48 (0.15, 1.56)

No

14 (14%)

5 (10%)

9 (18%)

  

Yes

84 (84%)

45 (90%)

39 (78%)

  

Missing data

2 (2%)

0 (0%)

2 (4%)

  

Birth weight

3656 [2705–4940]

3622 [2830–4940]

3690 [2705–4660]

t = −0.69 (p = 0.49)

 

Milk cortisol concentration (nmol/L)

9 [1–34]

2 [1–3]

15 [10–34]

t = − 15.81 (p < 0.001)

 

Sampling time as minutes after 08:00 am

319 [30–645]

354 [120–645]

284 [30–555]

t = 2.93 (p = 0.004)d

 

Infant age at sampling (days)

61 [41–106]

60 [41–85]

62 [46–106]

t = − 0.94 (p = 0.35)

 
  1. Data is given as mean or number with either range in square brackets or percentage in parentheses
  2. a df = 98
  3. b Crude odds ratio with 95% confidence interval
  4. c χ2 for trend: Linear-to-linear association 0.13, df = 1, p = 0.719
  5. d Data available from 47 dyads in the low cortisol group and 46 dyads in the high cortisol group (df = 91)