|
|
Stress during pregnancy could harm baby
Jan 27, 2007 - 12:51:04 PM
|
|
|
According to experts, this is caused by high levels of stress hormone cortisol crossing the placenta.
|
By IANS,
[RxPG] London, Jan 27 - Stress during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby's brain, warns a study, adding that the baby's father has a very important role to play during the nine months.
Researcher Vivette Glover of Imperial College London said that stress caused by rows with or violence by a partner was particularly damaging for the baby, reported the online edition of BBC News.
'We found that if the woman had a partner who was being emotionally cruel to them while they were pregnant, it had a significant effect on their baby's future development,' Glover said. 'It really shows that the partner has a big role to play.'
The research suggests maternal stress is a true risk factor in its own right, although Glover acknowledged that genetic factors and the home environment after birth would also have an impact on a child's development.
She said most babies grow up unaffected by a stressful womb environment but maternal stress increases the risk of a range of problems. For example, it doubles the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -.
According to experts, this is caused by high levels of stress hormone cortisol crossing the placenta.
Glover said babies exposed to the highest levels of cortisol during their development had lower IQs at 18 months. The same infants were also more likely to be anxious and fearful.
|
Subscribe to Europe Newsletter
|
|
E-mail Address:
|
|
Feedback
|
For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send
any medical news or health news press releases, use
feedback form
|
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
