Studies conducted over a 10 year period by Bristol University concluded that a pregnant woman under high levels of stress tends to affect their baby. This is widely accepted as common sense since most mother's to be tend to wind down during pregnancy but the study goes into more detail about the chemical and physiological affect that undue stress on the mother can have on her baby. This article will discuss the reports findings and suggest ways to avoid stress during pregnancy.
The basis of the report is that the children involved in the study, whose mothers had said they had been under stress during the later stages of pregnancy, had higher levels of cortisol than those whose mothers hadn't been under stress. Cortisol is one of the two major stress hormones that are released in the body when it is experiencing or preparing for a stressful situation. It is believed that excessive cortisol in the blood can lead to health complications in later life, especially in regards to heart disease. Abnormal levels of cortisol are also believed to influence the chances of suffering from anxiety and depression.
The study believes that the excessive level of stress hormone in the mother are passed through the placenta into the womb hence flooding the baby with stress hormones. The conclusion is that this could describe and predict potential cases of anxiety and depression in children as theygrow older. However the study does not take into account the backgrounds of the children involved in the study and there current lifestyle which might also influence their levels of personal stress.
In short the study is making a connection between the mother's stress and future events in the child's life and giving a bit more scientific detail to the common sense view that mother's to be should take things easier during pregnancy. They also agreed that more research was needed to better understand the stress that a baby might undergo during pregnancy.
Whilst most women will take a large amount of time off work there is a trend for many women to continue working as long as possible before birth. This is very much a personal choice, just as stress affects people in different ways. A woman that is used to working may become frustrated at spending too much time at home alone and this could lead to stress for the woman.
Managing stress during pregnancy is very much a case of getting informed. Antenatal and Prenatal classes and regular contact with your doctor are essential. Indulging yourself is another technique that can keep your stress levels down.
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