High levels of stress that continue for a long time may cause health problems, like high blood pressure and heart disease. During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having a baby who is preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces).
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own.
Most recently, some studies are suggesting that stress in the womb can affect a baby's temperament and neurobehavioral development. Infants whose mothers experienced high levels of stress while pregnant, particularly in the first trimester, show signs of more depression and irritability.
Study Shows Babies Can Catch It from Their Mothers. Babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, but they also show corresponding physiological changes, according to a UC San Francisco-led study.
Maternal stress has been associated with poor birth outcomes including preterm birth, infant mortality and low birthweight. Stress results in increases in cortisol, norepinephrine and inflammation which affect the fetal environment and have implications for maternal and infant health.
If the mother is stressed during pregnancy, the child is at increased risk of symptoms of anxiety and depression, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and of being on the autistic spectrum. There can be other problems, including asthma and preterm delivery.
Although less studied than depression, research suggests that anxiety may negatively affect both the mother and the fetus. Anxiety increases the risk for preterm birth, low birthweight, earlier gestational age, and a smaller head circumference (which is related to brain size).
Mood swings and crying spells are a normal part of pregnancy, especially during your first trimester as hormones ramp up. It also takes some time to absorb the emotional weight of life's big changes, like having a child. Take a deep breath. It's your pregnancy, you can cry if you want to!
Constant fears about pregnancy, loss of life, or losing the baby, as well as trauma or prolonged stress, all increase stress hormones in the amniotic fluid. This level of stress is likely to have an impact on your baby's development.
Studies have shown that infants as young as one month-old sense when a parent is depressed or angry and are affected by the parent's mood. Understanding that even infants are affected by adult emotions can help parents do their best in supporting their child's healthy development.
Fetal fidgets
They asked the women about their stress levels and recorded fetal movements. They also examined the babies two weeks after birth. The fetuses of women who reported higher stress levels during pregnancy moved around more in the womb.
They can have a negative effect on the baby's development. And violence can make a pregnant partner feel very anxious. Anxiety can have negative effects on the baby too, including on their mental health later in life.
Pregnancy is a major life change, and it is normal to feel some stress and emotional changes. If people experience high stress levels or emotions that feel overwhelming or out of their control, they can speak with a doctor. There are no set guidelines for how much stress is too much during pregnancy.
eat healthily and avoid rich, spicy and fatty foods. cut back on drinks with caffeine (such as tea, coffee and energy drinks) sit up straight when you eat. give up alcohol and cigarettes.
There is growing evidence that even milder forms of maternal stress or anxiety during pregnancy affect the fetus causing possible long-term consequences for infant and child development.
The physical downsides of crying are pretty straightforward: puffy eyes, splotchy skin and a headachy feeling that can be chalked up to the strong contractions of your facial muscles while you weep and pressure in your sinuses from the runny nose that accompanies a tear-fest.
If your partner's mood swings do continue for the duration of pregnancy, try to be understanding and offer your support wherever you can. Ultimately, letting your partner know that they are not alone and that how they are feeling is not their fault is invaluable.
High levels of stress during pregnancy may also be connected to autism in children. This connection appears to have the most impact when the parent experiences stress between weeks 25 and 28 of pregnancy.
Unemployed mothers were similarly more likely to have stillborn babies (2.85x higher risk - 6.12% vs 1.32%). High levels of perceived stress were shown to double the risk of stillbirth (3.57% vs 1.17%) independent of other social factors and pregnancy complications that can put pressure on mothers.
While excessive stress isn't good for your overall health, there's no evidence that stress results in miscarriage. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur before the pregnancy is recognized.
Mothers who are depressed, anxious or have other mental health issues might not take care of themselves, or they may use drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy. All of these things can harm a growing baby. In fact, untreated depression in pregnant women may also lead to: Poor nutrition.