 Researchers Say Stress In The Womb Can Last A Lifetime
Source: Lucy Goodchild,
Imperial College London
Date: 6/30/09
Visitors can see how their stress levels could affect the heart
rate of their unborn baby and find out why pregnant women should reduce
their anxiety, at
a new exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science
Exhibition, which opened June 30, 2009.
The researchers behind the exhibit, from Imperial College
London, hope that it will raise families' awareness of the importance
of reducing levels of stress and anxiety in expectant mothers. They say
that reducing stress during pregnancy could help prevent thousands of
children from developing emotional and behavioral problems.
Visitors to the Exhibition will have the chance to play a game
that shows how a mother's stress can increase the heart rate of her
unborn baby. They will also be able to touch a real placenta, encased
safely in plastic. The placenta is crucial for fetal development and it
usually protects the unborn baby from the stress hormone cortisol.
However, when the mother is stressed, the placenta becomes less
protective and the mother's cortisol may have an effect on the fetus.
The Imperial researchers' work has shown that maternal stress
and anxiety can alter the development of the baby's brain. This in turn
can result in a greater risk of emotional problems such as anxiety or
depression, behavioural problems such as Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder, and being considerably slower at learning. Some
studies have even suggested that it may increase the likelihood of
later violent or criminal behavior. Their findings have suggested that
the effects of stress during pregnancy can last many years, including
into adolescence.
Professor Vivette Glover, the lead researcher behind the
exhibit from the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at
Imperial College London, said: "We all know that if a mother smokes or
drinks a lot of alcohol while pregnant it can affect her fetus. Our
work has shown that other more subtle factors, such as her emotional
state, can also have long-term effects on her child. We hope our
exhibit will demonstrate in a fun way why we all need to look after
expectant mothers' emotional wellbeing.
"Our research shows that stress due to the mother's
relationship with her partner can be particularly damaging. We want
fathers visiting our exhibit to see how they can help with the
development of their child even before the birth, by helping their
partner to stay happy," added Professor Glover.
The researchers say that the stress hormone cortisol may be
one way in which the fetus is affected by the mother's anxiety during
pregnancy. Usually the placenta protects the unborn baby from the
mother's cortisol, by producing an enzyme that breaks the hormone down.
When the mother is very stressed, this enzyme works less well and lets
her cortisol through the placenta. By studying the amount of cortisol
in the amniotic fluid, the Imperial researchers' latest study suggests
that the higher the level of cortisol in the womb, the lower the
toddler's cognitive development or "baby IQ" at 18 months.
Kieran O'Donnell from the Institute of Reproductive and
Developmental Biology at Imperial College London said: "We are very
excited to have this opportunity to talk with the public about our
work. We think that by promoting awareness of this subject we may be
able to benefit many families in the future."
The scientists will be on hand at the exhibition, which runs from 30 June to 4 July.
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