Maternal stress in pregnancy

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) found that children whose mothers experience significant stress or anxiety during pregnancy have a greater vulnerability to psychological problems up to ten years later.

Analysis of stress hormone levels in ten year old children has provided the strongest evidence yet that prenatal anxiety may affect the baby in the womb in a way that carries long term implications for wellbeing. ALSPAC identified that foetal exposure to prenatal maternal stress affects a key part of the babies developing nervous systems, leaving them more vulnerable to psychological and perhaps medical illness in later life.

References

Key findings from the ALSPAC (external website)