Effects of stress on the fetus during pregnancy. How does nervous stress affect the expectant mother during pregnancy and what are the consequences for the child? Stress during pregnancy - causes and characteristics of development

The stress of a pregnant mother is very dangerous for the health of the unborn baby.

Stress is bad for everyone. On this moment For the time being, scientists are studying the impact of stress experienced by a mother during pregnancy on the health of an infant.

Pregnancy itself is already stressful for the body of the expectant mother. We will try to find out how dangerous the stress suffered by the mother is for the baby, and also consider ways to deal with unnecessary excitement and anxiety.

What is stress?

The very concept of "stress" means the body's reaction to certain situations: hormonal changes, changes in external conditions, strong feelings and so on. And pregnancy entails a lot of changes in a woman's body. Perestroika also concerns the psycho-emotional background, therefore, expectant mothers always react brighter and more painfully to the influence of their environment.

This is a completely natural process necessary for adapting to a new position and carrying a child correctly.

But such a reaction can also become pathological. If the first two stages of stress are a manifestation of a normal protective reaction, then the third, last, can cause protracted and other mental disorders.

Reasons for stress during pregnancy

Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons for worries in pregnant women: especially if the pregnancy is the first. Let's consider the most common fears among expectant mothers:

1 Fear for the health of the baby.Even with ideal conditions of conception and constant examinations, there remains a small percentage of the likelihood of pathologies in the fetus.

But modern medicine is not limited to just one diagnosis of the health status of the baby in the womb. If any developmental abnormalities are found, doctors will always be ready to provide the necessary assistance to eliminate them. Your worries about your child's health can only backfire. Therefore, it is best to just calm down and not miss scheduled examinations, tests and ultrasound.

2 Fear of negative changes in appearance.The fear of losing its former shape after childbirth is perhaps the most unfounded of the "pregnant" fears. The appearance of many women giving birth not only did not deteriorate after gestation, but also became more spectacular, bright and attractive. And such little things as a tummy that has appeared and rounded hips can be easily eliminated with the help of exercises in the gym.

3 Fear of the upcoming birth.How they will pass sometimes remains a mystery even for a specialist who monitors pregnancy throughout the entire period. Possible painful sensations, insufficient competence of medical personnel - any pregnant woman repeatedly thinks about all this.

The solution to this problem is quite simple. You need to communicate as much as possible with women who have already experienced childbirth, to express your concerns to them.

An experienced mom will definitely give you good advice and help allay all your fears. It will not be superfluous to attend courses on preparation for childbirth. Here you will be taught the techniques of proper breathing, special gymnastics and other useful things.

Thanks to the knowledge gained, you will never be confused at the most crucial moment, and your baby will be born healthy and strong.

Effects of stress during pregnancy

Not a single woman has been able to protect herself from stress during the entire pregnancy, and therefore in the head of every expectant mother there is a question - “How can the stress I have experienced affect my child? Does he feel all my worries? "

Contrary to popular belief, the group of food antidepressants does not include chocolates, ice cream or jam. The ability to improve mood is inherent in foods that contain B vitamins, manganese and vitamin C.

Interesting! Why does the baby hiccup in the stomach?

These products are fish, nuts, lean meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit), cottage cheese, natural yogurt, red fruits (apples, pomegranates), berries and dried fruits. These products will not only help to improve the mental state of the mother, but will also be very beneficial for the baby.

2 Love and be loved.Scientific experiments have shown that single women are most often exposed to stress. Moreover, a woman can feel lonely even when she is married.

It is important to understand that it is not so much sex that can help relieve stress, but a feeling of complete understanding in the family. Do not withdraw into yourself: it is necessary to share experiences and thoughts with your half.

A joint trip to a film screening, theater or exhibition is a good way to forget about everyday problems and worries. New impressions experienced together will surely give you and your life partner a good mood.

3 An interesting hobby is the best cure for stress. It is during maternity leave or pregnancy that many women begin to discover new talents in themselves. If at the usual pace of life we \u200b\u200bdo not always have time for creativity, then right now you can do something exciting and enjoyable.

The expectant mother can attend master classes, during which the teacher will give you basic knowledge about a particular art form in an accessible form. In addition, at such courses you can find new acquaintances: communication with interesting creative people always leaves a positive impression.

By creating something with your own hands, you will be distracted from negative thoughts. The fruits of your creativity will also be a great decoration for your home interior.

4 Healthy sleep and correct daily routine.Negative impact on nervous system physical fatigue also renders. Therefore, it is so important for pregnant women to follow a normal daily routine. Go to bed no later than 22-23 hours. It is during these hours that the body recovers its strength as much as possible. Sleep started at a later time is less effective.

It has long been known that the emotional state of a pregnant woman directly affects the health of an unborn baby. In this case, the impact can be long-term or short-term, and be beneficial or harmful. Stress during pregnancy is normal. It all depends on what kind of stressors affect the expectant mother, how she individually endures stress.

How mom's mood affects baby's health

The modern world is difficult to imagine without stress. And for a woman, the very fact of pregnancy is stressful, physiological and psychological. It changes the state of the girl, affects the mood, makes you worry about trifles and get nervous.

Prolonged stress is especially dangerous, which contributes to an increase in pressure, a change in the composition of urine, the development of anemia. And since the expectant mother is inextricably linked with the baby, then all these troubles have an impact on the child.

The stress hormones produced in the woman's body are passed on to the fetus. This can lead to future health problems for the baby. First of all, the nervous and circulatory systems and the heart are affected.

Often a child is born small and weak, he is more susceptible to seasonal illnesses, depressive conditions, his behavior differs from that of his peers. It is worth looking into more detail on how stress affects pregnancy.

Research has shown that perinatal stress leads to:

• increased risk of premature birth;
• reduced baby weight;
• insufficient growth of the newborn;
• high risk of miscarriage.

Strong stress on early dates pregnancy. It can provoke a miscarriage. In the future, there are violations in the development of the circulatory system, oxygen starvation.

Interesting fact! It has been proven that mothers who have been exposed to stress factors for a long time are 60 percent more likely to have babies with respiratory diseases.

Severe stress during pregnancy has long-term consequences, it affects the baby not only during his stay in the womb, but also in the future. Newborns and children under one year old suffer from its effects as follows:

• increased activity;
• irritability;
• anxiety;
• fussiness;
• violation of concentration;
• retarded mental and physical development.

After a year, the consequences of perinatal stress are as follows:

• inattention;
• inability to concentrate;
• emotional instability;
• violation of behavior in girls.

Studies have shown that stress during pregnancy also affects the life, behavior, physical and emotional well-being of the growing child. It is not uncommon that severe stress during pregnancy leads to the appearance of mental illness, in particular, to the development of severe depression and schizophrenia.

However, mild stress can be beneficial, because it helps to strengthen the immunity of the fetus, improve motor skills. It is believed that intermittent slight stress helps a child to endure the strongest stress in life - birth.

It has been proven that from the 20th week, the baby feels and experiences everything that the mother feels. Her emotional state is completely transferred to him. This can and should be used to raise a baby in the womb.

Difference between moderate and severe stress

The topic of the influence of moderate and severe stress on a person is always relevant. The controversy is over what positive impact it has. Scientists have proven that there are positive factors that accompany stress, they include:

1. Improving adaptability ... Thanks to stress, a person learns to adapt to constantly changing living conditions. This is what allowed people to survive global climate changes, explore new territories, learn new activities, and gain knowledge. All this was due to adaptive mechanisms that include stress.
2. Sharpening memory ... In a state of tension, a person can remember what seems to have been forgotten long ago. The concentration of attention increases, the ability to solve problems that were beyond the power of the person increases.
3. British scientists have concluded that moderate stress promotes weight loss ... Extra pounds go away due to the influence of stressors, which cause a slight increase in body temperature. During this period, brown fat causes the breakdown of white fat molecules, resulting in excess weight leaves.

In the body of an adult, 90 percent is white fat, and this increases the risk of developing many diseases that provoke obesity. Light periodic exertion can serve as an excellent prevention of these diseases.

But strong stressors, on the contrary, negatively affect the human body, causing harm to it. It is as follows:

1. Chronic stress and tension lead to depletion of the body, a significant decrease in immunity, which causes various pathologies. The adrenal glands actively produce cortisol, called the stress hormone, it reduces the activity of lymphocytes. Any infection becomes scary to a person.
2. The increased stress on the body, physical and emotional, promotes the production of large quantities of hormones and catecholamines. This puts a strain on the heart, increases heart rate and respiration, vasospasm develops, and blood pressure rises. A pre-infarction state appears. Ignoring it can lead to heart attack.
3. Development of post-traumatic syndrome. This is a dangerous condition with which one should already be referred to a qualified psychotherapist. It is expressed in the constant experience of a stressful situation, a return to the past, a person lives in constant fear, becomes isolated or tries to tell others about what happened over and over again.

The benefits and harms of stress is a rhetorical question. Everyone can find their own answer, the whole point lies in the attitude of the person himself to the current state of affairs. Many people know how to keep their face and get out of difficult situations with dignity.

As for a pregnant woman, she should experience extremely positive emotions when carrying a baby. At the same time, hormones of happiness - endorphins are produced in her body. They allow the fetus to develop normally, and subsequently the baby is calm and balanced.

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 for every pregnant woman is different. And only a few can boast of a cool-headed calmness and absolute "immunity" to stress. Severe nervous tension 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 what is the danger of stress during pregnancy for a woman and her crumbs.

When a woman says “I'm stressed!”, Most likely, she is upset, frightened, indignant about something. But this is not an accurate description of the term "stress" and is more characteristic of one type of it - neuropsychic stress.

Scientifically, stress is a negative emotional anxiety that can be triggered 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 manifests itself in an extremely 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 is to activate the female body in response to overstrain of the nervous system. Then the second phase gradually begins - active resistance to the situation that has arisen. If the stress is prolonged, the third phase sets in - the global exhaustion of the female body with subsequent complications. As a result, a woman may develop an infectious disease, exacerbate chronic pathology, and develop a nervous disorder.

Stress during pregnancy - causes and characteristics of development

During the gestational period, stress follows a specific scenario. It leads to the stimulation of hormonal processes, which leads to the pathological synthesis of glucocorticoids and catecholamines. This leads to the destruction of glucose and a short-term jump in blood sugar in the pregnant woman's body. The body immediately reacts to this by synthesizing excess insulin, which utilizes sugar, which provokes unplanned heat production. Then, to "rest", the body reduces the production of insulin, which is often called transient functional type diabetes.

But the influence 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, therefore, to obtain energy, the body also begins to break down fats. Their breakdown product 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 it is unwise to ignore the often repeated stress.

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 calmly 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 hard for women who have experienced miscarriage and loss of a baby in the past.
• Fear of future motherhood. A slight anxiety at the thought of an upcoming meeting with a baby and his future upbringing in women often arises. 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 at medical facilities, nervous passengers on the subway, a rude saleswoman in a supermarket - this is just the tip of the iceberg of possible stress provocateurs during pregnancy.
• Working misunderstandings. Teaching from a disgruntled boss and unfriendly colleagues are perfect conditions for chronic stress. And if we take into account also toxicosis, frequent delays due to the next examination by a gynecologist and the inability to concentrate on work, then it becomes obvious that at work stress during pregnancy occurs very often.
• 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 misunderstandings are constantly present, there are uncomfortable living conditions, then emotional discomfort is provided.

On a note! Being overly impressionable, suspicious and lack of support from loved ones only exacerbate the effect of stress on pregnancy.

How to tell if you're stressed 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 about 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);
• unfounded fears or worries;
• signs of a depressed mood (apathy, a sense of hopelessness, detachment);
• panic attacks (fear of leaving the house, lack of air);
• deterioration of health (tachycardia, hypertension, dizziness, dyspepsia);
• an 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

Insignificant physiological stress often occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and such pregnancy companions as vomiting, headache, weakness. This often makes a woman nervous and emotionally stressed, 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 dire.

Stress during pregnancy: consequences for the baby

The first weeks of pregnancy are decisive, so the best thing that relatives and friends can do is to protect a pregnant woman from stress. It can affect pregnancy and the baby in two ways:

• On the one hand, for the first few weeks, the baby is still microscopically small and reliably protected from the effects of stress. Hormones of "stress" do not enter the ovum even after its implantation, because until the 10th week the placenta does not function yet, and there is no way for them to enter the baby's blood.
• On the other hand, the first trimester is the time for the formation of the makings of organs. And the presence of stress during early pregnancy impairs the work 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 in women who carried a baby under constant stress, the risk of having an autistic baby is twice as high as in 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 disorders may occur:

1. Hypoxia and complications after it. Under the influence of stress, the uteroplacental blood flow is disturbed. If you do not take action in time, the baby continues to develop in conditions of a lack of oxygen and important substances. As a result, the newborn may develop neurological disorders, he may have too low weight, poor indicators on the Apgar scale.
2. The birth of a premature baby. Stress is like a catalyst for uterine hypertonicity. If a woman has experienced a severe 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, after birth are prone to provocations of conflicts and are often mentally unstable.

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

Stress during pregnancy: implications for women

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

1. Worsening of toxicosis. Even mild stress can turn mild nausea into unbridled vomiting. Drowsiness, dehydration also occur, and blood counts worsen. This is often the reason for hospitalization.
2. Hormonal imbalance. Hormones are the first to respond to stress. Depending on the condition of the female body, this can provoke an unsuccessful embryo implantation or improper fixation of the ovum in the uterus. Often, a fertilized cell, without attaching to the endometrium, leaves the uterus along with menstrual blood.
3. Hypertonicity of the uterus. The connection between an increase in uterine tone and anxiety has long been established. Therefore, stress often causes the development of the threat of miscarriage.
4. Freezing of the fetus. Very often, missed pregnancies happen due to stress.

Advice! If after a nervous shock you notice bloody discharge or abdominal pain, consult a 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 clumsiness have not yet come. Therefore, there are no external reasons for stress. Since the emotional state in this period is sublime, small stimuli are unlikely to provoke strong experiences. But if something really serious happens, the stress will be very active.

On a note! For women, stress during this period is not dangerous, which cannot be said about the baby. Therefore, if you are unable to control your nerves, ask your doctor to prescribe 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 at this time sharp fluctuations in hormones begin and the tone of the uterus increases, it may decide that it is time to give birth.
2. Weakness of labor. The natural birth process is complex and involves many mechanisms of the hormonal system. If during pregnancy a woman was in stressful conditions, the likelihood of insufficient labor activity increases. Often you have to resort to stimulation and even a caesarean section.
3. Wrong position of the baby. The tonicity of the uterus caused by stress prevents the fetus from taking the correct position before delivery. In such a situation, the birth process is complicated, 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 are under severe 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, consult a psychologist.

If you are able to curb your worries 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 go through, if necessary, 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 are into something sweet, indulge yourself in one of the most delicious dessert. If you want to ride a swing, do not stop, because a baby lives in you.
4. Let go of the fear of labor pain... Although women hide, absolutely everything is afraid of this pain. You need to come to terms with this, you do not need to wind yourself up and undermine the baby's health with your stress.
5. Don't hide your pregnancy. Often women in the early stages do not advertise their position, and silently endure frequent reprimands from the boss for being late or poor performance. Tell that you are pregnant and he will come into your position. So at least one less stress in the first trimester of pregnancy will be less.
6. Voice all your wishes. 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 hurt your beloved baby. Tune in to the positive and get maximum pleasure, because the pregnancy ends very quickly. And remember that the process of childbirth, and the health of your baby, and future lactation depend on your peace of mind.

Video "Stress and nerves during pregnancy"

During pregnancy, this is a defensive reaction to changes in the woman's body. This process occurs naturally, helping the expectant mother to adapt to her new position. This kind of stress is the norm, as the body is rebuilding itself to carry the fetus. First of all, the hormonal and psycho-emotional background changes, which makes a woman more susceptible to various external influences. Pregnancy and stress are interrelated concepts. The danger arises when such a protective reaction of the body becomes pathological and accompanies the entire pregnancy. Severe stress at this time is especially dangerous, as it can cause irreversible consequences for the child.

Causes of stress during pregnancy

Stress is a common phenomenon, as a woman has a lot of reasons for it. This reaction is often triggered by fears:

In this case, the main thing is to calm down, not give in to feelings and tune in to a positive outcome.

Stress during pregnancy can be caused not only by fears. There are other reasons as well:

• unpleasant conditions that often accompany pregnancy (toxicosis, pain in the joints or back, constipation, fatigue);
• sudden mood swings, which are the result of changes in hormonal levels;
• stress can be caused by negative events in life (death or illness of a loved one, major quarrel, etc.).

Sometimes a pregnant woman can develop, which usually occurs against the background of a strong shock. The reason for this condition may be a terrible event, a woman witnessed or participated in. This can be, for example, natural disaster, rape, terrorist act, military action, etc. Subsequently, such severe stress during pregnancy can cause premature birth, health problems for the baby or mother.

Stress symptoms

Sometimes a woman can be under stress without even knowing it. She gets so used to her fears that she takes them for granted. This situation is not normal and may cause fear in the doctor. Staying under stress for a long time will not benefit either the mother or her baby. To prevent the possible negative consequences of such a situation, every pregnant woman needs to take responsibility for her health and pay attention to the following symptoms of a pathological condition:

• sleep disturbance;
• apathetic state;
• lethargy and indifference to any action;
• reduced performance;
• problems with appetite;
• attacks of spontaneous anxiety;
• nervousness;
• cardiopalmus;
• pressure problems;
• dizziness;
• tremor of the lower or upper extremities;
• reduced immunity, which is manifested by frequent colds.

The presence of several symptoms from the list may be a reason to suspect a severe form of stress in a pregnant woman. Scientists have found that stress in the body increases the amount of glucocorticoid hormones that affect genes and the placenta. And such a hormonal imbalance can lead to undesirable consequences. Appropriate therapy will be required to reduce the negative effects of stress on pregnancy in general and on the baby specifically.

The dangers of stress

Why is stress dangerous? Can a stressful situation cause any serious disturbances in the development of the fetus? Short stresses during this period are unlikely to harm a woman or baby. Such conditions are even useful, as they prepare the body for childbirth and strengthen the child's nervous system. But prolonged and deep stress is a completely different matter. Such conditions must be treated without fail. Severe stress is especially dangerous in early pregnancy.

If the pregnant woman has suffered from stress, the results may not appear immediately. Parents can notice some kind of mental abnormalities in a child only at a transitional age.

If a woman has experienced stress during pregnancy, the consequences can be identified both for herself and for the baby:

• children can be born with low weight;
• problems with adaptation in society at an older age;
• if a stressful situation occurred in the late stages of pregnancy, then it can provoke anomalies in the formation of the fetal nervous system;
• autism;
• hyperactivity;
• over time, the mother or child may develop;
• urinary incontinence;
• the newborn may have a congenital external defect (eg, cleft palate);
• stresses in the early stages affect the normal supply of oxygen to the fetus (can cause intrafetal hypoxia - this is one of the reasons for the fading of pregnancy);
• allergic or asthmatic manifestations in a newborn;
• diabetes;
• disruption of the cardiovascular system.

Stress during pregnancy also affects the health of the mother:

• premature birth;
• weak labor (contractions do not intensify, which may require medication to stimulate labor);
• the development of a nervous disorder;
• miscarriage.

The consequences of pregnancy stress can be very challenging for both the mother and her baby. To avoid this, it is important for a woman to learn to control her emotions, and to the people around her - to try to create anti-stress conditions around her.

Effects of stress on a child

After suffering severe psychological trauma, a woman may feel stress. This situation is very dangerous in itself, but if a woman is in a position, it is doubly dangerous.

We have already figured out what stress can lead to a pregnant woman, but how exactly does this happen? What causes fetal development disorders?

The influence of a pregnant woman's stress on the health of her baby can be schematically expressed as follows:

• during a stressful situation, the hormone cortisone is produced in a woman's body, which causes a jump in blood sugar and reduces oxygen supply to cells (both of these conditions are not normal and can cause disturbances in the development of the fetus);
• at the time of stress, the body removes toxins worse, which can lead to its poisoning, which means that the fetus will be exposed to toxic effects;
• frustration and anxiety of the mother can contribute to a decrease in her appetite, which means that the child will not receive enough nutrients, which can also cause disturbances in his development.

The worst time for a stressful situation is 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. During these periods, the development of the fetal brain occurs. In addition, a frozen pregnancy can be a consequence of severe depression. A strong mental impact in 1-3 months of pregnancy increases the likelihood of a child developing schizophrenia. The chances of getting sick with this ailment are about 70%. With strong prolonged stress, the central nervous system of the fetus is especially affected.

Strong fears often lead to miscarriages, and basically this situation concerns only male children. Interestingly, premature birth of girls for this reason is very rare. But boys whose mothers experienced severe stress during pregnancy live much longer than those who were carried under favorable conditions.

How to reduce stress

Since stress affects pregnancy predominantly negatively, the question arises as well. There are several ways to deal with stressful situations:

How to deal with stress during pregnancy? In such a situation, you need to consult a doctor who will hold a conversation or prescribe drug therapy, while only relatives and friends will be able to surround the pregnant woman with the necessary care and love. The psycho-emotional state of a woman largely depends on the situation in the family.

Stress is the reaction of a person's psyche to an external event or their unfavorable physical condition. It can play different roles in human health. If stress is overcome by one's own efforts, life returns to its normal rut, this state strengthens and hardens, gives confidence in one's ability to cope with life's difficulties.

If a stressful situation is protracted, a person may not be able to cope with it and receive a severe blow to the psyche, which will lead to serious illness. In this case, you need to seek help from a psychiatrist, overcoming your prejudices against treatment of this orientation. It must be understood that only a small part of people who have undergone stress acquire chronic depression, and even fewer people need treatment in a hospital.

Stress during pregnancy is a frequent occurrence that must be treated in a timely manner with gentle non-drug methods so as not to harm either the expectant mother or the child. Let's figure out why it occurs, as well as methods of dealing with it.

Causes

In the occurrence of stress in a pregnant woman, her character type plays a role. If before pregnancy the girl was easy on life, found reasons for joy, did not focus on minor troubles, she was not afraid of pain and difficulties - most likely, she is not threatened with severe stress during pregnancy. If a lady is afraid of everything, always worries about the slightest adversity - the remarks of the boss, the taunts of her friend, the breakage of the zipper in the bag, the appearance of a pimple on her nose - she is more susceptible to stress while waiting for the baby.

In addition, every woman has her own threshold of normal life, the existence below which she considers a misfortune. Someone is satisfied with tolerable well-being and expectation of family dinner on Saturdays. Someone considers it normal to have active rest, fun parties, trips to resorts. In the second case, the onset of stress is more likely, because during pregnancy, the lifestyle will have to change and largely limit yourself.

The most common causes of stress in pregnant women are:

1. Fear of childbirth. This is the most common cause of stress. Here, grandmothers' stories about the times when many women and children died during childbirth play a negative role due to unsanitary conditions, the lack of qualified specialists, and the inability to get the sometimes necessary medicines. It would be nice to read the literature about modern methods of delivering childbirth in difficult cases while waiting for a child, to be like courses for pregnant women, to listen to the doctor who leads the pregnancy, and not to talkative neighbors.


2. Fear of a difficult pregnancy. Naturally, in this position, a woman's taste preferences change, and toxicosis often occurs. During the second half of the term, the physical capabilities of the pregnant woman deteriorate. It is difficult for her to sit, walk, sometimes her legs swell, even tying shoelaces on her shoes is a problem. We must remember that this condition is temporary, that as a reward you will receive the happiness of motherhood.
3. Fear of losing the youth of the figure after childbirth, getting fat, and no longer liking her husband. Yes, the figure will change, but it's fixable. Remember to wear a prenatal and postnatal brace. Do not overeat or exceed your doctor's approved fluid intake. After giving birth, after 2-3 months, you can start doing exercises to return to prenatal form.
4. Fear of not coping with your role as mother and wife. Indeed, when the baby is very small, and you are not yet accustomed to new responsibilities, and even the baby cries at night, it can be difficult. So, relatives should help the young mother at this stage. In addition, many books and articles have been written about the first months of a baby's life. Modern doctors consider it possible to take a baby crying at night to the parents' bed so that the mother can give him breasts on demand almost without waking up. Try to choose a time to sleep and during the day when your baby sleeps. If you are easy to deal with temporary difficulties, the child will also be cheerful and calm. You will succeed.


5. Problems in the service. The bosses, of course, are unhappy when they have to release for 3 years an employee who already knows the job and has proven himself well. Or, on the contrary, the leader is glad that he will temporarily attach someone by acquaintance to a higher place, and then, gradually, he will survive you from the position. Remember - giving birth to a child and knowing maternal happiness is your choice. No job can replace a child for a woman. In addition, after pregnancy and a three-year vacation, you will still be young enough to prove your need in the same place or find yourself new job... Moreover, when the baby grows up a little, there will be less worries, and you will still be on vacation, you can take advanced training courses online.
6. The excitement that the baby is not developing properly in the womb. He stops pushing with his legs at some time. You may suddenly start losing weight. Any deviation from the norm is stressful. Therefore, if you have any doubts, you should visit a doctor, do an ultrasound scan and establish the cause of your excitement. Perhaps there is no pathology of fetal development, and you are worried in vain.

Any random event can be a cause for stress - a scandal at home, rudeness of a fellow traveler on public transport, and so on.

We must learn to avoid participating in unpleasant situations, not to succumb to provocations, remember that stress during pregnancy is harmful for you and your baby.

Symptoms

In the initial stage, psychological signs of stress appear, seemingly not affecting the physical condition of the pregnant woman:

• Depressive, depressed state, when nothing pleases, indifference to everything in the world appears.
• Constant feeling of tiredness, unwillingness to do something or go somewhere, even if the hike is associated with entertainment. In such a situation, a pregnant woman strives to lie alone in bed as much as possible, doing nothing.
• Tearfulness. Any word, memory, episode of a TV movie inadvertently spoken by relatives or girlfriends causes tears.
• Increased irritability. What the woman did not attach importance to before - a dirty cup on the table, conversations with her mother with elements of mutual misunderstanding, her husband's half-hour delay from work, and so on - now cause anger in the pregnant woman.
• The most dangerous psychological sign of depression is the emergence of thoughts of suicide in the expectant mother. Therefore, if relatives and friends notice signs of severe stress in a woman who is expecting a child, it is necessary to be with her, try to console her, believe in the successful outcome of the pregnancy, and, possibly, persuade her to go to a psychiatrist.

If stress during pregnancy continues for a long time, its physiological signs are noticeable:

• A woman can lose several pounds.
• There is a reaction to a change in the weather in the form of headaches.
• Nausea and vomiting may not be a sign of toxicosis, but stress. Unlike the state of toxicosis, in this case, they appear less often and are not directly related to food intake.
• Difficulty falling asleep in the evening, which is easier to identify early, when it is not explained by the presence of a large abdomen and the inability to get comfortable in bed.
• Breathing is also common with early stress. In late pregnancy, it may be associated with pressure from the uterus on the internal organs.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Panic attacks and tachycardia.
• Increased muscle tone, which can lead to miscarriage or premature birth (depending on the duration of pregnancy).
• Loss of appetite or the opposite situation - a constant desire to eat.
• Frequent colds and SARS.
• Changes in the baby's behavior in the womb - he is very active or, on the contrary, almost stops tapping his legs.

The appearance of any of the listed signs of stress dictates the need for the expectant mother to visit the attending physician.

Perhaps she just needs to talk to a specialist so that he can convince her that there is no reason to worry. If there are reasons, only a doctor can decide how to help a woman without damaging the fetus.

Effects of stress in pregnant women

During pregnancy, experiences have their own characteristics. These include the physical condition of a woman. After all, when a baby grows in the uterus, his mother's hormonal background changes, metabolic processes in the body are disrupted. Also, a double burden is imposed on the pregnant woman - to ensure her life and the development of the embryo. It follows from this that the very state of pregnancy is already a physiological stress. And experiences are explained by physical discomfort.

Fear of the upcoming birth and responsibility for caring for a defenseless creature after them are also inherent only in women "in position." Therefore, the expectant mother must understand that her condition is natural, felt by many millions of women. Doctors have accumulated tremendous experience in delivering childbirth and nursing infants. And there is nothing pathological in the condition of a pregnant woman.

How does stress affect pregnancy? In different periods of waiting for a child, he can bring various pathologies and troubles concerning both the mother and the child:

1. Stress in early pregnancy, in the first 3 months, can lead to miscarriage. If it does not happen, the mother's immunity may decrease, she may have frequent recurrent colds and infectious diseases, which also affect the baby's health.


2. At 2 months of pregnancy - 8-9 weeks - because of this condition of the mother, the baby may develop a "cleft lip" or "cleft palate." Under severe stress, the child is at risk of schizophrenia.
3. With stresses that arise in a pregnant woman in the period from 4 to 6 months, the baby is at risk of autism in the future. He will not be able to adapt to the social environment of his peers. In addition, mother's stress increases sugar in her and the child, which can lead to diabetes. A woman in labor can get bleeding after giving birth, and the baby is sometimes very large.
4. In the last 3 months of pregnancy, stress can cause both preterm birth and the birth of a post-term baby. This condition can provoke a difficult labor, which will have to be intervened by caesarean section. The baby's nervous state of the mother can be affected by anomalies in the formation of the nervous system, a slowdown in psychomotor development. The baby may also face a lack of oxygen and impaired uteroplacental blood flow.

From the above, it can be seen that stress in a pregnant woman is a very serious phenomenon that cannot be ignored. It is best not to let it happen.

Prevention of stress

The most important part of stress management and prevention is self-hypnosis. A woman should disconnect from her husband's financial problems at work, from her work problems, think only about the child's health and her condition. If you can't convince yourself that everything will be fine, sign up for a course of treatment with a psychologist who will talk to you and professionally convince you that you shouldn't worry. Much has been devoted to the impact of stress on pregnancy scientific works... A specialist familiar with them will certainly help you.

For the prevention of nervous conditions, take a course of vitamins that the gynecologist will prescribe to you. Vitamin B will calm your nervous system, vitamin C will strengthen the immune system and protect against diseases. This vitamin also strengthens the nerves.

Helpful hints:

1. Don't get involved in scandals.
2. Don't listen to neighbors talking about various tragic stories.
3. You shouldn't watch the news on TV or read it on the Internet. And in general you don't need to watch a lot of TV. But if you have such a desire, watch a comedy.
4. Play nice romantic music for yourself.
5. Come up with a business that you like. Knit hats for your baby, read romance novels.

It is very useful to go to exercise for pregnant women. You can do yoga - exercises designed for expectant mothers. Walk more and breathe fresh air.