# Evaluating the Contribution of Synthetic Oxytocin Exposure in the Peripartum Period to Postpartum Depressive Symptoms in African American Women

> **NIH NIH F31** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $13,582

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Background: Synthetic oxytocin is a medication commonly administered perinatally to induce
or augment labor and prevent postpartum hemorrhage. However, its long term consequences,
especially related to postpartum mood, are largely unknown. This is especially pertinent in
African American mothers, a population at higher risk of postpartum depression. African
American women have higher rates, in general, of variables that lead to slow labor and
therefore are theoretically at greater risk of synthetic oxytocin exposure than Caucasian
mothers.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is firstly to characterize the indication for and exposure rate
of African American women to perinatal synthetic oxytocin. Secondly, we will evaluate the
association between exposure to perinatal synthetic oxytocin and depressive symptomatology in
African American women at 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, after controlling for
identified potential confounding variables.
Methods: We will enroll a socioeconomically diverse cohort of 160 African American women for
this study. As part of two larger, longitudinal studies, participants were recruited between 10-14
weeks gestation and followed through 6 months postpartum. They were visited in their homes at
1 week, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum and assessed for postpartum depression
symptomatology using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. For the selected subset, we
will review their labor and delivery records for detailed data on perinatal synthetic oxytocin
exposure. We will combine prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum variables into a novel dataset
to describe synthetic oxytocin exposure and evaluate its relationship to postpartum depression.
Implications: The results of this study will provide, for the first time, information on exposure
rates to a synthetic hormone that may carry with it increased risk of postpartum depression in
this population of African American women, already at high risk of health disparities in birth and
infant outcomes. Findings have the potential to impact practice in many ways, including
consideration of revising dosing standards and improved risk assessment and surveillance for
postpartum depression in exposed women.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9982070
- **Project number:** 5F31NR018369-02
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Taylor Ann Thul
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $13,582
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-10 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9982070

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9982070, Evaluating the Contribution of Synthetic Oxytocin Exposure in the Peripartum Period to Postpartum Depressive Symptoms in African American Women (5F31NR018369-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9982070. Licensed CC0.

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