Previous work has demonstrated that stressful events or experiences during pregnancy can have deleterious effects on the development of a child [...]

1. Fatima Traore<br />Nicole Weekes<br />Independent study project <br />March 5th, 2010<br /> Maternal Stress and Mental Health of Offsprings<br /> Previous work has demonstrated that stressful events or experiences during pregnancy can have deleterious effects on the development of a child. Some of these consequences are lower birth weight, premature birth, and slower rate of development of motor and cognitive abilities such as walking or speaking. In their review, “The Potential Influence of Maternal Stress Hormones on Development and Mental Health of The Offspring, ” Weinstock and colleagues investigate the differential effects of stress hormones on the HPA axis and hormonal production in humans relative to rodents at the fetal stage. Their review is particularly interesting because it also focuses on the mental health and physical development of offsprings as they relate to stress hormones and can have important implications for prophylaxis of some mental conditions.<br />While some retrospective studies of mothers have suggested a link between maternal stress and the incidence or susceptibility of the offspring to emotional problems and affective disorders such as schizophrenia, no causal link between maternal stress and offspring development has been established except in rodents and non-human primates (their use allows a better control of confounding variables). Nonetheless, the supporting evidence suggests some biological pathways by which maternal stress can affect mental health at the fetal stage during pregnancy. More precisely, during that period mechanisms to suppress the HPA axis response to stress are activated. In humans, the level of CRH gradually increases during pregnancy in the placenta. During the last trimester of pregnancy the concentrations of ACTH and Beta-endorphin also increase. When a certain level of circulating CRH is attained there is released of Oxytocin and prostaglandins that altogether trigger the labor process. <br />In addition, several studies have reported increased levels of Beta- endorphins and cortisol specifically in the fetal blood after an acute stress, thereby suggesting that the fetus can be directly sensitive to acute stress. More studies have also correlated premature birth to highly increased levels of CRH in the maternal blood. Therefore, the normal suppression of circulating CRH during pregnancy can be inefficient when mothers experience a high or controllable level of stress. <br />Interestingly, those high levels of hormones are inversely correlated to impairment of sensory motors tasks and motor coordination in rodents. Data supporting this phenomenon is ambiguous, and therefore makes it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the consequences of abnormal hormonal levels in humans. <br />Lastly, social support seems to help lowering the level of circulating hormones in the plasma of pregnant mothers, and decrease the likelihood of premature birth for the child. In conclusion, it’s important to have the father and the family around, and that both acute and chronic stress during pregnancy may play a role in deleterious effects on the development one’s child. <br />Literature<br />Weinstock, M. (2005). The potential influence of maternal stress hormones on development and mental health of the offspring. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 19(4), 296-308.<br />