The effect of stress during pregnancy on the fetus and the mother's body. Stress during pregnancy: causes and ways to get rid of Examples of stressful situations during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special period, accompanied by a firework of emotions that are not always positive. Difficulties at work, problems in the family, bad tests ... This list of reasons for worrying every pregnant woman has her own. And only a few can boast of cold-blooded calmness and absolute "immunity" to stress. Strong nervous strain negatively affects not only the psycho-emotional state of a woman, but can also complicate the course of childbirth or affect the formation of the fetus. Let's figure out what are the causes of stress during pregnancy in order to take control of the situation in time, and why stress during pregnancy is dangerous for a woman and her crumbs.

When a woman says "I'm stressed!", most likely, she is upset, scared, outraged by something. But this is not an accurate description of the term "stress" and is more characteristic of its one variety - neuropsychic stress.

From a scientific point of view, stress is an emotional disturbance of a negative nature, which can be provoked by a variety of factors, such as hunger, cold, photophobia, or other phobias.

During pregnancy, short-term emotional stress is more common, which often resembles a storm of negative emotions. It rarely leads to systemic disorders during pregnancy and is manifested exclusively by a bad mood.

More dangerous is constant stress during pregnancy or distress. This condition occurs against the background of prolonged nervous tension. Such "harmful" stress often disrupts the functioning of the whole organism, affecting the hormonal background, immune function and well-being of a pregnant woman.

Stress develops gradually. The first phase consists in the activation of the female body in response to an overstrain of the nervous system. Then the second phase gradually sets in - active resistance to the situation that has arisen. If the stress drags on, the third phase begins - the global exhaustion of the female body with subsequent complications. As a result, a woman may develop an infectious disease, exacerbate a chronic pathology, and develop a nervous breakdown.

Stress during pregnancy - causes and features of development

In the gestational period, stress proceeds according to a certain scenario. It leads to stimulation of hormonal processes, which leads to pathological synthesis of glucocorticoids and catecholamines. This leads to the fact that in the body of a pregnant woman there is a destruction of glucose and a short-term jump in blood sugar. The body immediately reacts to this by synthesizing excess insulin, which utilizes sugar, which provokes unscheduled heat generation. Then, in order to "rest", the body reduces the production of insulin, which is often called transient functional type diabetes.

But the effect of nervous stress during pregnancy on a woman's health does not end there. In conditions of insulin deficiency, the synthesis of sugars from amino acids starts. But their reserve in a woman's body is limited, so the body begins to break down fats to get energy. The product of their decay is ketones, which cause general intoxication. As a result, the brain, muscle tissue, and heart suffer. Often this condition is accompanied by severe oxygen starvation.

Repeated repetition of such a stressful algorithm leads to a decrease in thyroid function, disruption of the nervous system and immunity. Such disorders can affect the development of the fetus, so ignoring the often recurring stress is unwise.

What can cause severe stress during pregnancy? First of all, stress is triggered as a result of acute excitement, the source of which can be:

• Fear for the baby. While he is quietly developing in the mother's tummy, the woman is unable to somehow influence his well-being, to find out if everything is in order. It is especially difficult for women who have experienced a miscarriage and the loss of a baby in the past.
• Fear of future motherhood. Mild anxiety at the thought of the upcoming meeting with the baby and his future upbringing in women often occurs. But sometimes this excitement develops into a real test for the female nervous system and it is not possible to avoid severe stress.
• Contact with the outside world. Endless tests and queues in medical facilities, nervous passengers on the subway, a rude saleswoman in a supermarket - this is just the tip of the iceberg of possible provocateurs of stress during pregnancy.
• Work misunderstandings. Teachings from a disgruntled boss and unfriendly colleagues are perfect conditions for chronic stress. And if we also take into account toxicosis, frequent delays due to the next examination by a gynecologist and the inability to concentrate on work, then it becomes obvious that stress during pregnancy occurs very often at work.
• shock situations. Pregnancy does not exclude tragic turns in life. Anything can happen: divorce, dismissal, the death of relatives in an accident, an unscheduled move.
• Family environment. If the climate in the family is bad, conflicts often occur and misunderstanding is constantly present, there are uncomfortable living conditions, then emotional discomfort is guaranteed.

On a note! Excessive impressionability, suspiciousness and lack of support from loved ones only exacerbate the effect of stress on pregnancy.

How to understand that you have stress during pregnancy - symptoms

You can understand that a woman has stress by her emotional outburst. However, some women experience stress in silence and do not know it themselves.

The first signs of stress in a pregnant woman are considered to be:

• sleep disturbance (insomnia or vice versa, a constant desire to take a nap);
• obvious changes in appetite (refusal to eat or overeating);
• inability to work fully (fatigue, memory loss, lethargy);
• groundless fears or anxieties;
• signs of a depressive mood (apathy, a sense of hopelessness, detachment);
• panic attacks (fear of leaving the house, lack of air);
• deterioration of health (tachycardia, hypertension, dizziness, dyspepsia);
• obvious decrease in immunity.

Important! Such a complex of symptoms in a pregnant woman is a good reason to refer her to a psychologist.

How stress affects pregnancy

Minor physiological stress often occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and pregnancy companions such as vomiting, headache, and weakness. This often makes a woman nervous and emotionally tense, but there is no negative effect on the fetus. In other cases, when stress is caused by external stimuli, and a woman experiences a deep emotional shock, the consequences for her and her baby can be deplorable.

Stress during pregnancy: consequences for the child

The first weeks of pregnancy are crucial, so the best thing that close and dear people can do is to protect the pregnant woman from stress. It can affect pregnancy and the baby in two ways:

• On the one hand, the first few weeks the baby is still microscopically small and is reliably protected from the effects of stress. Hormones of "stress" do not enter the fetal egg even after its implantation, since the placenta does not yet function until the 10th week, and there are no ways for them to enter the baby's blood.
• On the other hand, the first trimester is the time of formation of the inclinations of organs. And the presence of stress during pregnancy in the early stages worsens the functioning of the hormonal system and metabolic processes in a woman. Therefore, it is very difficult to predict how this will affect embryonic development.

Interesting! American scientists who studied the nature of the development of autism made an interesting discovery. It turned out that women who carried a baby in conditions of constant stress, the risk of having an autistic baby is twice as high as women who do not experience this condition.

Stress during pregnancy in the second trimester for a woman is no longer as dangerous as in the first. But in relation to the baby, everything changes exactly the opposite. For him, this period is very responsible, because the development of the organs and systems laid down in the first trimester is in full swing, and any negative factors can disrupt this process. Of course, there will be no serious anomalies in the development of the baby, but the following violations may occur:

1. Hypoxia and complications after it. Under the influence of stress, uteroplacental blood flow is disturbed. If measures are not taken in time, the baby continues to develop in conditions of oxygen deficiency and important substances. As a result, the newborn may experience neurological disorders, it may be too low weight, poor Apgar scores.
2. The birth of a premature baby. Stress is like a catalyst for uterine hypertonicity. If a woman has experienced a strong shock before the 22nd gestational week, she may have a miscarriage, and if after this period, premature birth. A premature baby may lag behind in development or have neurological disorders in the future.

On a note! Babies, whose intrauterine development took place in a stressful environment, are prone to conflict provocations after birth and are often mentally unstable.

After the 28th gestational week, the stress of the mother on the physical development of the baby is not displayed. But the fetus is already able to empathize with the mother and is also experiencing a kind of stress. This condition often provokes such reparable disorders in the newborn as poor sleep, refusal to eat, frequent regurgitation, increased muscle tone.

Stress during pregnancy: consequences for women

If stress is not dangerous for a baby in the early stages, then for a woman it can be a serious cause for grief:

1. worsening toxicity. Even moderate stress can turn mild nausea into uncontrollable vomiting. Also there is drowsiness, dehydration, worsening blood counts. Often this leads to hospitalization.
2. Hormonal imbalance. Hormones are the first to respond to stress. Depending on the state of the female body, this can provoke an unsuccessful implantation of the embryo or improper fixation of the fetal egg in the uterus. Often, the fertilized cell, not attached to the endometrium, leaves the uterus along with menstrual blood.
3. Hypertension of the uterus. The connection between an increase in uterine tone and experiences has long been established. Therefore, stress often causes the development of a threat of miscarriage.
4. Freezing fetus. Very often, a missed pregnancy happens due to stress.

Advice! If you notice bloody discharge or abdominal pain after a nervous shock, contact your doctor immediately.

The second trimester of pregnancy is the most comfortable period for a woman. Toxicosis is already over, and the delights of the third trimester in the form of sluggishness have not yet arrived. Therefore, there are no external reasons for stress. Since the emotional state in this period is sublime, minor stimuli are unlikely to provoke strong feelings. But if something really serious happens, the stress will flow very actively.

On a note! For women, stress in this period is not dangerous, which cannot be said about the baby. So if you can't handle your nerves, ask your doctor to prescribe you some mild sedatives.

Stress in the third trimester of pregnancy is not dangerous for a baby, but a woman may experience one of the following complications:

1. premature delivery. The female body is designed in such a way that if sharp fluctuations in hormones begin at this time and the tone of the uterus increases, it may decide that it is time to give birth.
2. Weakness of labor activity. The natural birth process is complex and involves many mechanisms of the hormonal system. If a woman was under stressful conditions during pregnancy, the likelihood of insufficient labor activity increases. Often you have to resort to stimulation and even caesarean section.
3. Incorrect position of the baby. The tone of the uterus caused by stress does not allow the fetus to take the correct position before childbirth. In such a situation, the birth process takes place with complications, which increases the risk of birth injuries in the child. Sometimes natural childbirth becomes impossible.

How to deal with stress during pregnancy

If you realize that you have a lot of stress - calm down. Concentrate on the thought that the most important thing at the moment is not the problem that has arisen, but the health of your baby. Think about someone close to you who can help you pull yourself together and ask for help. If there is no one to rely on, contact a psychologist.

If you are able to curb your feelings on your own, you can use the tips:

1. Conquer your fears. If the cause of stress is fear for the baby, tell the doctor about it and, if necessary, undergo an additional examination. If the reason is something else, try to solve it in a similar way.
2. Find a hobby. A hobby will distract from bad thoughts and give a lot of positive.
3. Learn to pamper yourself. If you're craving something sweet, indulge in one of the most delicious desserts. If you want to ride a swing - do not stop, because a baby lives in you.
4. Release the fear of labor pain. Although women hide, absolutely everyone is afraid of this pain. You need to come to terms with this, do not wind yourself up and undermine the health of the baby with your stress.
5. Don't hide your pregnancy. Often, women in the early stages do not advertise their position, and silently endure the frequent reprimands of the boss for being late or poor performance. Tell him that you are pregnant and he will enter into your position. So at least one stress in the first trimester of pregnancy will be less.
6. Voice all your desires. Pregnancy is a time of whims and strange desires, so take advantage of this moment.

Take care of your pregnancy and don't let stress harm your beloved baby. Tune in to positive and get maximum pleasure, because pregnancy ends very quickly. And remember that the process of childbirth, the health of your baby, and future lactation depend on your calmness.

Video "Stress and nerves during pregnancy"

Stress is a natural reaction of the body to a threat, any negative factors or events. This mechanism allows you to mobilize reserves at the right time to avoid danger. But, being in a state of stress for a long time, we expose the body to a constant additional load. This can negatively affect the physical and psychological state of a person in any situation, but during pregnancy it is especially dangerous, as it can affect, among other things, the development of the child.

Causes of stress during pregnancy

Despite the fact that every pregnant woman is told from the first days that it is impossible to be nervous in her position, it is not always possible to just take it and stop experiencing stress. There can be many reasons for its occurrence, all of them are individual. Therefore, we dwell on those of them that occur most often:

1. Hormonal changes. The restructuring of a woman's body during pregnancy is associated with the production of a whole range of new hormones, which, in addition to their direct functions, can also cause unpredictable reactions: mood swings, increased irritability, depression, etc. The instability of the hormonal background in itself is a stress for the body, various psychological reactions only exacerbate the situation.
2. Fear and insecurity. It does not matter whether this is the first child for a woman or not, during pregnancy, few manage to remain absolutely calm and not be afraid of anything. Fears can be different, for example, fear of childbirth, fear for the health of the child, insecurity in a partner (especially if his reaction to the upcoming replenishment is not unambiguous). You can also add the fear of spoiling the figure and getting stretch marks, an unstable financial situation associated with going on maternity leave, and any other negative thoughts, the constant presence of which leads to unrelenting psychological stress.
3. Physical changes in the body. Pregnancy is a difficult period in a woman's life. An increased load on the body can lead to an exacerbation of various diseases, even if they were not previously diagnosed. It can be anemia, hypertension, diabetes, problems with the cardiovascular system or the gastrointestinal tract. But, even if the pregnancy proceeds without complications, in the early stages, almost half of the women suffer from toxicosis, and in the later stages - from heartburn, back pain and shortness of breath. In addition, a rapidly growing belly makes it difficult to move and significantly limits physical activity. All this can also lead to long-term stress, both on a physical and psychological level.
4. External factors. A pregnant woman, as a rule, does not live in isolation, she continues to go to work and communicate with other people. In such conditions, there is always a chance of conflicts and stressful situations, moreover, not all people have a positive outlook on life. Even if, before pregnancy, a woman effortlessly coped with such situations, in the new position, everything can change significantly.

In addition to the main causes, stress can be caused by any negative life situations: separation from a partner, death of a loved one, poor test results, etc.

How do you know if you're stressed during pregnancy?

Our lives are rarely stress-free, and one single episode can go unnoticed. But, when tension accumulates, sooner or later it will affect the physical and psycho-emotional state of a pregnant woman. Here are the main signs:

• insomnia at night and drowsiness during the day;
• decreased concentration, memory and performance;
• apathy and chronic fatigue;
• mood swings, irritability;
• depressive states, despair, feeling of hopelessness;
• tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
• drops in blood pressure;
• obsessive thoughts, causeless anxiety;
• headaches and dizziness;
• itching and skin rashes.

In addition, prolonged exposure to stress can cause causeless pain, exacerbation of chronic diseases and allergic reactions.

Why is stress dangerous during pregnancy?

Stress leads not only to a deterioration in mood and a decrease in performance. If left unchecked, it can lead to much more serious consequences, cause serious damage to the mother's body and negatively affect the development of the child.

- danger to the child

Babies whose mothers suffered severe stress in early pregnancy can be born with serious malformations, since at this stage the basic systems of the body are laid down and any negative impacts can lead to irreparable changes. At a later date, stress is no less dangerous. Prolonged stress can lead to developmental delays, problems with the nervous and cardiovascular systems, diabetes and autism. Babies can be born prematurely, with a weakened immune system.

In addition, severe stress can cause premature birth, miscarriage or missed pregnancy, even if the mother’s body is otherwise in perfect order.

- danger to the mother

Prolonged exposure to stress can lead to the formation of full-fledged depression (including postpartum), which will be much more difficult to cure. In addition, stress affects the functioning of the nervous system, disrupting sleep, memory and brain function. Often there is a complication of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, blood pressure rises, immunity decreases.

All of the above is aggravated by a depressed or unstable psycho-emotional state.

How to deal with stress during pregnancy?

The advice “not to be nervous” can be dismissed immediately as absolutely useless, especially if you have already begun to be nervous. But this does not mean that there is no way out of a stressful situation. Here are a few tips, you don't have to use them all, a combination of just a few can help:

In most cases, realizing the presence of stress in time, you can avoid really serious consequences and deal with it yourself, without resorting to professional help or serious medications. The main thing is not to withdraw into yourself, not to be afraid to ask relatives and friends for help, and do everything possible to normalize your life and, if possible, exclude all negative factors from it.

For many centuries, people around have advised a pregnant woman not to worry so as not to harm her unborn child. Recent studies scientifically confirm the truth of these tips. At all stages of intrauterine life, such a factor as severe stress during pregnancy affects the development of the fetus and can cause difficulties in adaptation, increased anxiety, illness and even mental disorders in the distant future.

Causes and symptoms of stress during pregnancy

No woman lives 9 months of waiting like in a sanatorium, and negative emotions often accompany her throughout her pregnancy. The causes of stress can be:

• physiological and hormonal changes in the body;
• anxiety about the future, fear for oneself and the unborn child, anxiety about the upcoming birth;
• conflict situations at home, at work, in the family;
• negative information about the course of pregnancy;
• visiting a doctor in a antenatal clinic or staying in a hospital for preservation;
• breakup, death of a loved one.

Many stressful effects are short-term and easily tolerated by a woman, because the mechanism of occurrence and overcoming stress allows any living being to adapt to changing living conditions and reach a higher level of adaptation. This mobilizes the resource capabilities of the body, makes it stronger and stronger.

With prolonged or intense overstressing of the body, exhaustion of the nervous system occurs, the feeling of anxiety does not subside, and the following negative symptoms occur:

• increased fatigue, repeated mistakes in actions;
• feeling of dissatisfaction with the results of their work;
• inability to concentrate;
• allergic skin reactions;
• increased anxiety and restlessness;
• various sleep disturbances, nightmares and daytime sleepiness;
• palpitations, trembling, dizziness.

How stress affects pregnancy

Medical practice, life experience and recent scientific research show that prolonged negative stress leads to serious consequences and complications of pregnancy. This can manifest itself in severe toxicosis and a deterioration in the oxygen supply of the fetus, the development of various diseases in the mother, anomalies and pathologies in the infant. In women, the stomach often hurts after stress during pregnancy, which indicates uterine hypertonicity and the threat of miscarriage. To prevent stress from causing illness, you need to actively counteract it and not give place to fear and anxiety.

stress in early pregnancy

Severe emotional stress in the early stages of gestation can lead to such consequences as miscarriage, fetal malformations that are incompatible with life, missed pregnancy. In the first 12 weeks, the organs and systems of the unborn child are laid, so the destructive effect of negative experiences will manifest itself at the physical level of the development of the embryo.

Stress in late pregnancy

Some studies by Russian scientists (Prof. G. I. Brekhman, Dr. Sh. S. Tashaev, T. A. Malysheva) showed that an unborn child reacts to the negative emotional experiences of the mother by changing its position in the womb. Often this leads to such a pathology as facial or pelvic presentation of the fetus, and, as a result, to difficult childbirth or caesarean section.It was noted that in some cases, after the condition of the expectant mother improved, the child changed its position to the correct, occipital, and normal childbirth occurred.

Also, psychotraumatic situations in the later stages can cause premature birth, and the child in the future has such behavioral features as hyperactivity, anxiety, fearfulness or tearfulness. Such babies can often get sick, catch a cold, suffer from allergic reactions of the skin.

How to deal with stress during pregnancy

Unrest, worries, increased stress on the body and nervous system, "hormonal storms" and a lack of understanding in the family cause a negative reaction in a pregnant woman. Physiological stress makes us stronger and, perhaps, teaches the future baby to overcome life's difficulties. The most important thing is to get rid of the stressful situation so that the hormones that are released to overcome it are used for the benefit, and not to the detriment of the health and development of the fetus.

It must be remembered that the negative event itself is not as scary as the person’s attitude towards it, their perception and experience of what happened. You can avoid the damaging effects of stress by:

1. Having learned to reduce negative influences, avoid them so that they do not become permanent and debilitating.
2. To realize that a super-stressful state, when the body cannot cope with the load, is an extremely rare occurrence and it is quite difficult to get it.
3. Use the stress end mechanism by starting any active actions that help overcome the negative impact of irritating factors.

• do physical work - wash the floors, the window, take a walk at a brisk pace;
• to speak out, to complain, to throw out verbally their dissatisfaction;
• throw out emotions by crying or breaking something (your options);
• eat something tasty (chocolate candy or cake);
• try to relax and think about something good.

Stress that has ended, exhausted itself in vigorous activity, does not harm the unborn child.

Effects of stress during pregnancy on the baby

A child who has experienced negative experiences of the mother, while still in the womb, may show at the age of 8-9 such signs of severe anxiety as hyperactivity, inattention, anxiety, and difficulties in perceiving educational material. Psychosomatic diseases, such as diathesis, asthmatic bronchitis, pathologies of the digestive and endocrine systems, are also not uncommon. Some children, as adults, often suffer from depression and anxiety disorders.

Therefore, it is so important that loved ones who are close to the pregnant woman help to cope with negative emotions and difficult circumstances in a woman's life.

Severe stress negatively affects the mental and physical state of a person. An acute shock affects the functioning of the immune system, health and performance deteriorate. Therefore, during the bearing of a child, it is extremely unfavorable. Not only the mother's body suffers, but also the fetus.

Of course, within nine months it is impossible to completely isolate oneself from exciting situations, but it is an acute and protracted stress factor that is dangerous. Powerful emotional trauma can cause the development of various pathologies, for example, missed pregnancy. But not everything is so scary. Scientists believe that small worries are even beneficial for the female body and the nervous system of the baby. Serious damage is caused only by constant stress and deep feelings. What consequences, in addition to a missed pregnancy, can be with a prolonged stress factor?

The effect of stress on the female body

Long-term chronic stress affects the condition of a pregnant woman as follows:

1. Increased blood pressure, palpitations, breathing problems, tachycardia, dizziness. Some women complain of pain in the chest and abdomen, incessant migraines.
2. In the first trimester, many women are haunted by toxicosis, and constant stress enhances its manifestations.
3. A pregnant woman is unable to cope with emotions, she can often cry, she is haunted by apathy and fatigue. does not allow the woman to relax, she is tense and in a state of anxiety.
4. Decreased overall tone and strength. A woman constantly wants to sleep during the day, and at night she cannot sleep. This behavior will subsequently be in the baby.

Exposure to prolonged stress during gestation leads to depression, irritability, and dissatisfaction with one's position.

Mental stress and pregnancy

Regular ones also affect the bearing of the fetus. What is the danger of a stress factor?

1. Traumatic circumstances can provoke such an undesirable phenomenon as a miscarriage. It has been proven that constant worrying increases the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester.
2. Due to prolonged emotional experiences, the outflow of amniotic fluid may begin ahead of time, and this is an unfavorable development of events for the baby.
3. In the first trimester, the most dangerous periods include the eighth week of gestation. At this time, the fetus is sensitive to stressful circumstances and a strong traumatic factor can lead to a miscarriage. In this case, the embryo stops developing. Additional causes of missed pregnancy include alcohol abuse, infectious diseases, hormonal imbalance, weight lifting, previous abortions. But in some cases, doctors do not see any other reason for the appearance of a missed pregnancy, except for nervous stress. Signs of a missed pregnancy may also appear in the second trimester, especially at 16 and 18 weeks.

Any deviation from the normal course of pregnancy exacerbates the emotional state of the woman. And some pathologies, for example, the occurrence of a missed pregnancy or miscarriage, greatly affect the overall well-being.

Effects of stress on the baby

The mother's fetus is most susceptible. Stress during pregnancy negatively affects the baby for the following reasons:

1. Medical experts say that during a period of strong excitement, the nervous system of the baby suffers greatly. If the expectant mother experienced stress during pregnancy, then after birth the child may suffer from hyperactivity. Such children are prone to various phobias, their adaptive threshold is lowered.
2. Stress during pregnancy has a negative impact on the health of the baby. The fetus suffers from intrauterine hypoxia, and after birth, the child is prone to allergic and asthmatic reactions.
3. According to some reports, in the early stages of pregnancy, namely in the first trimester, it can provoke the development of schizophrenia in a child. Researchers talk about a seventy percent chance.
4. The child needs calm emotions of the mother. If a woman is subject to negative thoughts, then the consequences of negative experiences affect the psyche of the child. A balanced mother can give her child health, both mental and physical. Some scientists believe that the manifestation of a missed pregnancy should be sought in the nervous excitability of the mother.
5. The cause of enuresis, diabetes, autism also lies in the stressful state of the expectant mother. Severe trauma is a factor in many adversities in the baby, for example, prematurity, or the unviability of the baby.

Stress during pregnancy affects not only the woman, but also her unborn child. The baby suffers from the anxieties and worries of the mother. The cause of many problems lies behind the stress of pregnancy. You should be wary of strong unrest, not only in the first trimester, but throughout the entire period of bearing a child. In this case, many negative aspects can be avoided, for example, the occurrence of a missed pregnancy or the outflow of amniotic fluid.

Pregnancy is a time of change. The body of a woman, her emotions, the life of the whole family are changing. These changes can be joyful, or they can add stress to life. Everyone experiences excitement during pregnancy, but too much stress can cause inconvenience:

• provoke sleep disturbances;
• cause headache;
• cause loss of appetite or overeating.

Chronic stress can lead to health problems, high blood pressure and heart disease. In pregnant women, a life of stress increases the chances of having a premature baby (delivery before 37 weeks), a baby with low birth weight. Prematurity and low birth weight are common causes of poor health in children.

The reasons are different for every woman, but there are some common factors:

• many are nervous due to physical discomfort - nausea, constipation, fatigue, backache in the later stages;
• disturbing thoughts about the upcoming birth and child care;
• working women think about the upcoming maternity leave and talk about it with the employer.

Hormonal changes in the early stages provoke mood swings, so stress is more difficult to cope with.

How stress can hurt

Not all stress can lead to problems during pregnancy. The usual dissatisfaction experienced in a traffic jam will not complicate the state of health. However, severe stress can lead to preterm delivery.

Most pregnant women who have experienced a major shock have healthy children. But you should be careful under such circumstances:

• serious illness or death of relatives;
• loss of a job or home;
• catastrophes like an earthquake, hurricane or terrorist attack.

Prolonged stress is usually associated with financial problems, poor health, significant changes in everyday life. This is a medical condition where a strong feeling of sadness lasts for a long period and interferes with a normal life.

Pregnancy is a cause for nervous tension. For some women, pregnancy itself is a major stressor. They are worried about the possibility of a miscarriage, the health of the unborn child, how they will cope with childbirth and parental responsibilities. Those who suffer from such fears should tell their doctor about the disease.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This type of disorder occurs in those who have experienced a terrible event - rape, natural disaster, terrorist attack, death of a loved one. People with PTSD experience:

• severe anxiety;
• memories of events;
• nightmares.

Physical manifestations: palpitations, sweating from memory.

Statistics show the presence of post-traumatic disorder in 8% of pregnant women. They are more likely to have a miscarriage, premature birth, and have a low birth weight baby. In addition, they are more likely to resort to health-threatening behavior: smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs.

How Stress Causes Pregnancy Problems

Bringing a new person into the world is not an easy task. You can worry about everything: is the diet healthy enough, is the environment safe, how to combine parenthood with work. Therefore, stress for pregnant women is the same norm as at any other stage. But if it is chronic, it can affect negatively. As you know, the fight or flight regime - the consequences of stress - is the release of cortisol and other hormones. They mobilize the body, prepare the muscles and heart for physical effort.

If the situation has been dealt with, the tension will recede and the body will regain its former balance. And chronic stress can cause inflammation, premature birth. A woman should not feel guilty about stress, but should try to control her emotions. The mechanism of the influence of stress on the course of pregnancy is not yet fully understood. But some stress-related hormones can make you feel worse. Chronic anxiety weakens the defense system, which can lead to infection of the uterus and premature birth. Under the influence of stress, women cannot cope with various difficult situations, some resort to smoking and alcohol.

Can high levels of stress during pregnancy harm the baby later on?

Many are interested in whether stress can harm a child. Some studies show that high levels during pregnancy can cause problems for the newborn and growing child, affect his sociability and fears, brain development and immune system.

At each stage of development, the organism analyzes environmental signals in order to optimize genetic parameters. Mother's stress is an irritant to which the child reacts, tries to adapt to it. When a mother's levels of stress hormones rise, the baby may be susceptible to a number of stress-related pathologies after birth.

Preterm birth and low weight are recognized consequences of stress, established over many years of animal and human studies. Recent research suggests that children who experience stress in the womb are at risk for chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The most recent results suggest the effect of prolonged stress experienced by the mother on the child's temperament and neurobehavioral development. Babies whose mothers experienced high levels of stress, especially early in pregnancy, showed signs of depression and irritability.

Doctors say that the baby bathes in all the substances produced by the mother's body, so the level of anxiety and stress affects the temperament of children. If the woman's nervous system stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine, the blood vessels that feed the fetus narrow, limiting the access of oxygen to the uterus. And the placenta increases the production of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which regulates the duration of pregnancy and fetal maturation.

CRH is one of the most interesting recent scientific discoveries, called the "placental clock". Its high level from 16 to 20 weeks may portend preterm labor. It turns out that stressful events occurring in the first trimester of pregnancy are crucial. It used to be thought the other way around: women are the most vulnerable when approaching their due date. Modern data show that in the later stages of women become psychologically stronger.

Doctors emphasize the link between stress and problem pregnancy. They also say that different women deal with stress differently and do not want to add guilt to someone who is already stressed.

Those most at risk are not those who have experienced a tragic event during pregnancy, but generally anxious people whose stress lasts for weeks and months.

How to reduce stress during pregnancy

Here are some ways to deal with stress:

• find out the cause of anxiety, talk about the disease with a partner, the attending physician; having thought everything over, it is easier for a woman to assess her strength and accept the upcoming tasks;
• realize that the discomfort associated with pregnancy is temporary;
• monitor health and appearance - eat healthy food, sleep enough and move;
• perform a simple set of exercises, take walks;
• temporarily abandon tiring activities;
• enlist the support of family, friends, relatives;
• accepting help when offered (for example, cleaning the house or organizing leisure activities);
• relaxation, yoga, meditation;
• visiting the school of expectant mothers.

Music and singing help control cortisol levels. Relaxation will help a warm bath, herbal tea, reading. Stress is initially an asymptomatic disease. Pregnant women should be able to recognize that they are experiencing nervous tension, to do simple things to relieve stress.

Optimism, a sense of humor and self-esteem, control over one's own life help to cope with fear. Medicine today is increasingly focused on controlling not only the test results and pressure of the expectant mother, but also awareness of her lifestyle, mood and home atmosphere in order to reduce the number of premature births and complicated pregnancies.