Severe Stress In Pregnancy May Affect Fetal Growth

Women who go through a traumatic event during or soon before pregnancy may be at increased risk of having an underweight baby, a large study suggests.

Researchers found that of more than 1 million Danish women who gave birth over 24 years, those who dealt with the death or serious illness of a loved one shortly before or during pregnancy were more likely to have a low-birth weight baby.

The findings, reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, do not prove that severe stress during pregnancy harms fetal growth. However, it is possible that this is the case, according to lead researcher Ali S. Khashan, of the University of Manchester in the UK.

Research indicates that high levels of stress hormones in the mother can hinder fetal growth, and severe stress may make it difficult for some pregnant women to follow a healthy lifestyle.

Still, Khashan told Reuters Health, the current findings are “subtle,” linking severe stress to a relatively small effect on birthweight. “So the overall risk to an individual experiencing ‘normal’ stress is tiny,” the researcher explained.

On the other hand, Khashan said, the study does give “valuable insights” into the importance of the uterine environment in fetal development and, ultimately, babies’ well-being.

Read more at Yahoo News