ABSTRACT
The neuroendocrine changes characteristic of pregnancy and breastfeeding are dramatic, impactful, and possibly contagious. We review work indicating that hormone shifts during pregnancy (e.g., in estradiol and progesterone) modulate effects of oxytocin and prolactin on the maternal brain which may influence outcomes such as maternal stress and mother-infant bonding. We also consider evidence of social effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding on functional changes in nonparental social interaction (e.g., preferences for health cues, propensities for defensive aggression), and discuss emerging research suggesting that the psychoneuroendocrinological changes experienced by mothers can influence – and be influenced by –other caregivers (e.g., fathers).
