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Volatile Signals During Pregnancy: A Possible Chemical Basis for Mother–Infant Recognition

Journal of Chemical Ecology volume 35, pages 131–139 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Human pheromones play a role in regulating relationships and apparently influence partner choice and mother–infant recognition. We analyzed the chemical content of volatiles from sweat patch samples from the para-axillary and nipple–areola regions of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. Solid phase microextraction was used to extract the volatile compounds, which were then characterized and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. During pregnancy, women developed a distinctive pattern of five volatile compounds common to the para-axillary and nipple–areola regions (1-dodecanol, 1-1′-oxybis octane, isocurcumenol, α-hexyl-cinnamic aldehyde, and isopropyl myristate). These compounds were absent outside pregnancy and had slightly different patterns in samples from the two body areas. Differentiation of the volatile patterns among pregnant women may help newborns to distinguish their own mothers.

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Acknowledgment

We thank the women who participated in the present research. We also thank Benedetta Zavelle de Louvigny for sharing in data collection, Domenico Rocco for supervising SPME extractions and GC–MS analyses, Franca Ligabue Stricker for valuable suggestions for this research, Roscoe Stanyon for a review of the manuscript, and IN.SER. s.p.a. for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Evolutionary Biology “Leo Pardi”, University of Florence, Florence, 50122, Italy

    Stefano Vaglio & Brunetto Chiarelli

  2. Analytical Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS “Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori”, Milan, 20133, Italy

    Pamela Minicozzi

  3. Department of General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, 10125, Italy

    Elisabetta Bonometti

  4. Department of Gynecology, Perinatal Pediatrics and Human Reproduction, University of Florence, Florence, 50134, Italy

    Giorgio Mello

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  1. Stefano Vaglio
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  2. Pamela Minicozzi
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  3. Elisabetta Bonometti
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  4. Giorgio Mello
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  5. Brunetto Chiarelli
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Correspondence to Stefano Vaglio.

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Vaglio, S., Minicozzi, P., Bonometti, E. et al. Volatile Signals During Pregnancy: A Possible Chemical Basis for Mother–Infant Recognition. J Chem Ecol 35, 131–139 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9573-5

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