Stress and pregnancy don't mix

February 16, 2000
Web posted at: 9:52 AM EST (1452 GMT)

In this story: What type of stress is most detrimental? Effects of stress during pregnancy don't end at birth Don't despair, take control RELATEDS

(WebMD) -- These days stress begins in the womb. Long before birth, life's steady onslaught of beeping cell phones, work deadlines and long commutes can take a toll on a mom-to-be and, in turn, on the fetus growing in her womb.

A growing body of scientific evidence is confirming what pregnant women instinctively know: Stress during pregnancy should be avoided. Researchers have found that stress can have serious consequences for the developing fetus. Among the most common repercussions of prenatal stress are premature birth and a lower-than-normal birth weight, both of which may lead to developmental problems. While researchers are confident that a link between maternal stress and premature births exists, they have yet to document the biological relationship that creates this cause and effect.

What type of stress is most detrimental?

Scientists who study prenatal maternal stress have concluded that the fetus is most affected by persistent stresses in the mother's life -- the common hassles of day-to-day living -- rather than major life traumas such as death and divorce.

"Stress is stress. What's important is how a woman perceives stress," says JoAnne Herman, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina's College of Nursing in Columbia. Herman has presented numerous papers on this topic in the last few years at conferences of the Southern Nursing Research Society. "But the kind of stress that really seems to be detrimental to the pregnant woman and the fetus involves the daily irritants that are epidemic in our society," she says.

Effects of stress during pregnancy don't end at birth

Infants born to mothers who feel as if they're under chronic stress during pregnancy -- the kind of unrelieved stress that lasts for a month or so -- begin life at a definite disadvantage.

"Babies who experienced stress before birth continue to have a hard time in life," says Marci Lobel, Ph.D., director of the Stony Brook Pregnancy Project at the State University of New York. "It's a continuing cascade. The infants that were born disadvantaged in this sense tend to continue to be at a disadvantage."

In her research, Lobel found that infants who are born prematurely to mothers under psychological stress tended to have fewer interactions with their parents, doctors and nurses than preemies born to mothers who weren't under chronic stress. "It became a self-fulfilling prophecy," Lobel explains. "There were not many expectations about what these premature infants could do, and so the parents began to expect nothing from them." For example, parents of these babies selected toys that were far below their children's psychological and intellectual ages.

Don't despair, take control

The research may seem discouraging, since pregnant women can't retreat into a stress-free bubble for nine months. But moms-to-be should realize they do have some control over their environment and that, most importantly, they can control their reactions. Here are some ways to keep stress at a minimum during pregnancy and beyond:

Finally, try not to stress out about stress itself. Nearly all women experience some type of stress during the nine months of pregnancy, and the majority deliver healthy babies.

Of course, this advice is easier said than done. Often the mother-to-be may require professional help. When poor coping skills have been practiced for years, or when a mother is clinically depressed, making a change will take some time and is best undertaken with the help of a therapist.

© 2000 Healtheon/WebMD. All rights reserved.

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RELATEDS AT :

Stress
Your guide to a healthy pregnancy

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RELATED SITES:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Zero to Three Organization
Premature infant support site

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