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How Stress During Pregnancy Affects Mother and Baby
Severe stress can hurt growing babies, but experts say mild day to day stress won’t have the same negative effects
In many ways, a mother’s health during pregnancy is intertwined with her baby’s health in the womb. A high fever, for example, if it’s left untreated, can interfere with the development of a fetus’ heart and jaw. And if a woman doesn’t get enough of the nutrient folate during the first trimester, the baby’s spine may not develop properly (which is why many practitioners recommend beginning a prenatal vitamin before getting pregnant, when possible).
Given the strong physiological connection between the two, it comes as no surprise that a mother’s stress during pregnancy can also affect the growing baby.
Severe stress has long been known to increase the risk for negative pregnancy outcomes, potentially leading to preterm labor or reduced birth weight. But a growing body of recent research shows that the effects of prenatal stress, including untreated anxiety or depression, could affect babies long after birth, possibly carrying over into childhood and even adulthood.
One study shows that prenatal stress can result in more aggressive toddlers: Mothers who reported higher anxiety and stress during…
