Mum-to-be stress alert

PREGNANT women should be helped to manage stress and depression as well as avoiding alcohol, smoking and substance use, doctors now say.

A new ground-breaking study has found stress and anxiety during pregnancy affects the health of the baby for up to the first three years of their life.

Researchers from the Australian National University and Pennsylvania State University examined the cortisol levels of 123 women who were between 12 and 32 weeks pregnant while they were in conflict with a partner.

Cortisol is a hormone that’s produced under stress to invoke a flight or fight instinct, but may not operate effectively in times of chronic anxiety or depression.

They found mothers in the study whose cortisol levels did not change in response to stress had children with significantly worse health outcomes in their first three years.

This included twice the amount of GP visits and three times more respiratory infections, colds, fevers and ear infections compared to children of mothers who reacted better to stress.

Poorer child health was also found to be more likely when expectant mothers had reported higher levels of depression.

Michael Roettger from the ANU said the study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, was the first study of its kind to measure cortisol levels during stress. He said it showed how important it was for pregnant women to manage stress.

“Feeling and responding to stress is natural, but if stress lingers or pregnant women are feeling chronically depressed or anxious then they need to seek help and go to their obstetrician or GP,” Dr Roettger said.

“There is so much awareness about avoiding alcohol, smoking and substance use during pregnancy, but effectively managing stress and mental health is important too.”

Lead researcher and co-author Mark Feinberg from Pennsylvania State University said it was even better to prevent high levels of stress and depression in pregnancy. Dr Feinberg has been working with Drummond Street Services in Melbourne to develop the Family Foundations program.

The service helps couples with new babies work together and develop practical skills to help them cope with parenthood. It’s recommended couples do five sessions before the baby arrives and five sessions after the birth.