During pregnancy, what do we eat, how much sleep, what physical exercises do we do, are aspects of great relevance?But what role do emotions play? There is a close relationship between the emotional state of the mother during pregnancy and uterine life. Thus, stress during pregnancy can hinder the baby’s evolutionary development.
When we are stressed levels of 6 types of hormones can be altered: cortisol, glucagon, prolactin, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, these oscillations affect the pregnant woman, but also the fetus, so when mothers experience severe psychological stress during pregnancy. pregnancy, the risk of pregnancy increases.
The main manifestations of stress during pregnancy occur on a physical, physiological and social level.
The main manifestations of stress can be reflected at different levels: physiological, physical and even social Do you have changes in sleep, appetite (overeating or lack of appetite) and frequent headaches, muscle tension, irritability?In addition, the immune system weakens, increasing the risk of infection.
All of this, in turn, can precipitate childbirth, which increases the chances of having a premature baby (born before 37 weeks gestation) or low birth weight (less than 2. 5 kilos). The latter, as well as premature babies, are at risk. many childhood problems, such as common illnesses, growth problems, distraction, hyperactivity and lack of motor coordination.
Stress during pregnancy can cause asthma in infants and other skin conditions, according to several studies, including atopic eczema during the newborn’s first 8 months of life.
On the other hand, physical changes that can affect the baby include pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the pylorus, located in the lower stomach, that connects it to the small intestine, a disease that requires immediate surgery.
Previously we mentioned the types of hormones that most influence our body in a particularly stressful situation, after entering the bloodstream, reach the placenta, which is the vital connection of the baby with the mother for months, this set of hormones in turn increases that of the child’s excessive heart rate.
Therefore, the less stressful and anxious a woman faces for a long time during this period, the better: in this way, “will we bomb?”Except the child with hormonal currents.
One of the hormones, cortisol, which acts in adults to restore homeostasis, can cause serious difficulties in the future development of the baby. It has been shown that the higher the amniotic fluid level, the lower the child’s IQ in the future.
Although not a disease, a below-average IQ can affect a child’s daily life. In addition to learning issues, the risk of attention deficit or hyperactivity increases. Combined with this, you may have more difficulty solving problems in a planned and strategic way. inhibiting spontaneous tendencies.
Sudden mood swings or prolonged anxiety are of little importance, our body warns us when we have days of great accumulated tension, without resting well, with excessive worries or a labor overload, school or domestic, imagine now if we add to all these stressful events so that a human being grows in us. There’s no way these mood swings won’t affect you!
However, it is important to note that unforeseen events that occur at any given time unexpectedly are not dangerous, for example, if a pregnant woman is frightened by the barking of a dog she did not expect, there is no danger to the fetus.
It is prolonged stress, which is generated in situations that are important to us, because they involve a kind of threat, loss or damage, which can cause changes in the baby, in addition it must be taken into account that the emotional reactions are not the same. in all women, so stress doesn’t affect them in the same way.
Taking care of rest, personal demand, calmly coping with situations, eating healthy and exercising under medical supervision, all these points are good allies to avoid stress during pregnancy.