Pregnancy is sometimes characterised as a magical journey. While it often accompanies feelings of joy, it may also bring bouts of stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. Furthermore, did you know that stress of any kind during pregnancy can affect the future health of your child? It goes without saying that your emotional well-being, as recent studies show, is of utmost importance because it is entwined with fetal development and birth outcomes.
How Stress Affects the Body During Pregnancy
Under stress, your adrenal glands produce stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. While such hormones can be beneficial in the short term, constant stress during pregnancy can lead to a myriad of problems for the developing baby. It has been shown that elevated stress levels may lead to high levels of cortisol, which is capable of crossing the placenta and impacting your baby’s brain as well as their stress response systems.
Potential Impacts on the Baby
Along with other experts, I have come up with a set of possible outcomes resulting from prolonged maternal stress.
- Low birth weight
- Premature birth
- Weakened immune function
- Developmental delays
- Increased risk of behavioral and emotional problems later in life
Even when it’s true that not all mothers who are stressed will experience these outcomes, the risks are higher when stress goes unchecked for a longer duration.
Mental Health Matters
Maintaining good mental health during pregnancy is just as crucial as managing physical health. Anxiety and depression can create further stress and derail proper prenatal care. This is why mental health experts recommend emotional support and healthy coping mechanisms for expecting mothers.
- How to Manage Stress During Pregnancy
- Practice mindfulness and deep breathing
- Engage in light physical activity (with doctor’s approval)
- See a therapist or counsellor
- Participate in prenatal yoga or support groups
- Get sufficient sleep and proper nutrition
Fostering improvements in mental well-being during pregnancy — both for the mother and fetus — can be achieved through small, consistent efforts that are cumulative in nature.
While some stress is considered normal, it’s critical to manage it effectively. Overwhelmed with stress during pregnancy? Reach out for assistance without hesitation. Mental health care is an integral component of preparing for motherhood, complemented with the aim of providing a robust start to life for the baby.
