Stress and Pregnancy - Page 3
© March of Dimes Foundation
Stress also may exert its adverse effects indirectly by affecting the pregnant woman's behavior. For example, women who are experiencing high levels of stress may not follow good health habits. They may not eat properly, or they may react to stress by reaching for cigarettes, alcohol or illicit drugs, all of which have been linked to low birthweight. Use of alcohol and certain illicit drugs also increases the risk of birth defects.
Individual response to stress
Each of us finds different tasks or situations stressful. A task that one person finds enjoyable can be highly stressful to another. Each of us also reacts differently to an event we perceive as stressful. There appear to be distinct differences in how our bodies respond to stress, and some of these differences may have an impact on pregnancy.
James McCubbin, PhD, and other researchers at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine measured pregnant women's blood pressure following a stressful arithmetic task. All of the women had normal blood pressure readings prior to the task. This new study reported that women with larger diastolic blood pressure increases (a blood pressure reading is given as the systolic over the diastolic pressure, for example, 110/80) were more likely to have smaller-than-average or low- birthweight babies and premature babies. The researchers speculate that increased levels of stress-related hormones may affect both maternal blood pressure and fetal growth and development. While this study is preliminary, it may lead to a new approach to identifying a group of women who are at risk of preterm labor and low birthweight, and who may possibly be able to reduce their risk by practicing relaxation techniques.
Stress reduction techniques
Each pregnant woman needs to identify the personal and work-related sources of stress in her life, and develop an effective way of dealing with them. Any woman, whether pregnant or not, can cope better with the stresses in her life if she is healthy and fit.
A pregnant woman should be sure she eats a healthy diet, gets plenty of sleep, avoids alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, and (with her health care provider's go-ahead) exercises regularly. Exercise keeps pregnant women fit, helps prevent some of the common discomforts of pregnancy (such as backache, fatigue and constipation), and relieves stress.
Having a good support network; which can include the pregnant woman's partner, extended family, friends and others; also helps a pregnant woman relieve stress. These individuals may provide information, emotional support, or help with tasks around the home. Some studies suggest that having good support may actually reduce the risk of preterm labor and low birthweight, especially for poor, high-risk women.
