The Consequences Of Stress During Pregnancy – Being Parents

What are the consequences of stress during pregnancy? One of the most important and happy news for most people is to learn that they are going to be parents. Carrying a new life inside a future mother is really very moving.

But  the stress during pregnancy could lead to fatal consequences. We take stock of this in this article.

Know the consequences of stress during pregnancy

Sometimes pregnancy can come at a bad time. Indeed, there are situations in life that make us suffer for one reason or another. It can affect our daily life and cause  anxiety  during pregnancy.

As a result, you might experience stress during pregnancy, which would affect you and your baby.

These stressful and anxious situations  do not affect all women in the same way. It is therefore logical to think that they do not influence all babies in the same way.

Nevertheless, there are a few trends in common. They help us identify some of the consequences of this stress during pregnancy.

First of all, it should be noted that stress  is harmful when it is felt with great intensity. When it comes also to certain depressive disorders that influence the immune system of the expectant mother. These can therefore strongly affect the baby.

For this reason, we are going to look at the consequences of anxiety and stress during pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetric complications, premature delivery and low birth weight

One of the main complications that can arise when the mother suffers from a high level of stress during pregnancy are obstetric complications  .

Premature delivery and low birth weight are also observed. These negative effects can come from the hormones released during these stressful episodes.

A miscarriage

The chances of a miscarriage also increase  when the pregnant woman is subjected to high levels of stress and anxiety in her daily life. Numerous studies have shown this.

Experiencing stressful situations like the death of a loved one during the first few weeks of pregnancy can have a huge influence. Indeed,  the female body recognizes the levels of certain hormones,  such as  hydrocortisone,  generated by stress and which represent a warning signal for the organism. It is a kind of symptom of unfavorable conditions for the continuity of pregnancy.

Intellectual development problems

The third of the serious consequences that mother and child can suffer under stress concerns the cognitive intellectual development of the unborn baby. In the face of these high levels of stress, children  ‘s language development and verbal intelligence quotient can be affected  if the mother has not had a peaceful and enjoyable pregnancy.

The consequences are visible in the long term in the brain structures of the baby in the areas concerned. They are linked, above all, to  language  and verbal skills.

Emotional and behavioral problems in the baby

Many experts have conducted various studies in which  emotional problems are associated with stress. This is also the case for certain behaviors in babies and children who have had mothers suffering from stress during pregnancy.

Thus,  we observed an increase in the rate of hyperactive children born to stressed mothers during their gestation period. In addition to this, they often exhibit certain emotional disturbances at the same time. Let’s also not forget about other types of conduct problems and lack of attention.

Each of these consequences is the result of much research carried out over the past decades. These are studies developed by experts in obstetrics and gynecology, among other fields of science and medicine.

Thanks to them, it has been proven that  stress during pregnancy can have serious physiological and psychological repercussions  for the mother and the unborn baby.

This is verifiable both for the prenatal and postnatal period. In addition, these consequences can deteriorate the quality of life of the baby and his mother.

This is why, from the first moment a woman learns that she is pregnant, it is fundamental to do everything possible to lead a quiet and peaceful life. The long term benefits will be endless.