Maryam Gulraiz

// DISSERTATION PROJECT

Title: Maternal Biopsychosocial Stress and Subsequent Fertility Behavior in Norway

Abstract: 

Background: Amidst persistent fertility declines in high-income countries like Norway, explanations focusing solely on economic factors appear insufficient. This is particularly true for subsequent births (second, third, etc.), which are a key driver of these trends. This research proposes and tests a complementary biopsychosocial framework, investigating how maternal stress experienced during the transition to parenthood influences subsequent fertility.

Objectives: This study aims to: (1) Investigate how cumulative biopsychosocial stress (integrating biological, psychological, and social factors) experienced by mothers around childbirth affects subsequent fertility trajectories (timing of next birth and likelihood of family completion). (2) Assess the relative contributions of these distinct stress domains to fertility outcomes.

Data: We will use data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort (MoBa), a highquality longitudinal study. This data will be linked to comprehensive Norwegian national administrative registers to track all subsequent fertility outcomes.

Methodology: We will construct two indices from MoBa data: (1) a psycho-social stress index using postpartum questionnaires (measuring loneliness, social support, perceived distress,anxiety) and (2) a biological stress index (Allostatic Load) using biomarkers from midpregnancy (e.g., hs-CRP, cortisol, HbA1c, BMI, BP). Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) will be used to identify distinct maternal stress profiles. Event History Analysis (Cox models) will be used to analyze the time to next birth, comparing high-stress profiles to a low-stress reference group.

Expected Results: We hypothesize that mothers in high-stress profiles, particularly those combining high psychosocial and high biological stress, will exhibit significant delays in subsequent fertility and a higher probability of not having another child. We also expect the biological stress domain to show a strong, independent association with fertility outcomes.
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// ACADEMIC BACKGROUND   

Oct 2020 - Mar 2024
Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich
Affiliation: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE) 
Master of Epidemiology

Oct 2016 - Jul 2020
National University of Sciences and Technology 
Bachelor of Applied Biosciences

Oct 2016 - Oct 2019
Awarded the rector’s Academic Semester Scholarship for three consecutive years

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// PUBLICATIONS
 
Gulraiz, M. and Thumann, B. (in preparation): “The Association between the Big Five Personality Traits and the Diagnosis of Stroke in Older Adults in Europe using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)”. Manuscript prepared for submission to Psychosomatic Medicine.
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// CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
 

Gulraiz, M. (2025): Laboratory of Fertility and Well-Being Seminar. Presentation: “Biopsychosocial Stress & Fertility, and Personality Traits in Stroke Diagnosis”. Rostock, Germany. September 30.
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// EXPERIENCE

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Sep 2025 - Oct 2025
Research Intern at Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research | EDSD 2025 Cohort | Rostock

Oct 2023 - Mar 2024
Thesis Researcher at Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy (now SHARE Berlin Institute) | Munich

May 2023 - Nov 2023
Student Research Assistant at Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition | Munich

Sep 2021 - Dec 2022
Student Assistant at Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy | Munich

Apr 2021 - May 2021
Research Intern at Technical University of Munich | Munich

Dec 2019 - Jul 2020
Thesis Researcher (Full-time) at National University of Sciences and Technology | Islamabad

INTERNSHIPS

Image Credits: © Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences