CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Stressing Out During Your Pregnancy Could Be Bad for Baby’s Health

save article
profile picture of Kylie McConville
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image
Image: Shutterstock

According to new research performed by Dr. Petra Arck, stressing out during your pregnancy might put baby at an increased risk for asthma and eczema.

The study, performed at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, examined data from 994children and their mothers who had participated in an Australian pregnancy study. Starting out, their purpose was to determine the effects of intensive fetal monitoring on pregnancy outcomes. For the analysis, researchers asked moms-to-be about recent stressful events at the midway point of their pregnancy and again as they got closer to delivery. Once born, their kids were evaluated for asthma, eczema and other allergy-related conditions at ages 6 and 14.

Based on their responses, researchers calculated the likelihood of the children having asthma or eczema as a teenager. They found that for kids with mothers that experienced stressful life events during the second half of their pregnancies, the child’s risk was substantially higher. Researchers also noticed that kids at age 6 were twice as likely to have asthma as 14 year olds if their mothers had been through a single stressful life event. This pattern only help true in children whose moms didn’t have asthma. However, researchers admit that they didn’t have any available information on how moms-to-be coped with these stressful life events or the types of social supports that might’ve been available to them, as well as the fact that stress during their pregnancy might not have been solely responsible for the increased risk of asthma or eczema. Their findings were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Arck told Reuters Health that the findings from this analysis could “allow clinicians to evaluate future asthma risk in unborn children using a simple life event assessment questionnaire.”

Related Video

So how can you keep from stressing during your pregnancy? Welcome to parenthood. You’re going to worry about your baby for the rest of your life. Literally. So you may as well get used to it now. The truth is, you can’t know that baby’s okay in utero. You won’t know he’s okay with the babysitter either. Or at college. Yes, there is stuff that can go wrong. But, there’s a much better chance that everything will be just fine and you’re on your way to having a healthy little mini-me (or -he). The best thing you can do right now is focus on staying healthy and following your doctor’s recommendations. Our advice: Try to stay positive, don’t read the scary stuff without a good reason (like if your doctor tells you that you’re at risk for something specific), and ban yourself from all of those tragic stories on the Internet. After all, this is a time when you should be celebrating — not stressing.

How do you keep from stressing?

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

kara keough bosworth and family on vacation
Kara Keough Bosworth Opens Up About Pregnancy Anxiety After a Loss
By Wyndi Kappes
claire holt selfie while doing laundry
Claire Holt Reminds Moms It’s Okay if You Don't Love Being Pregnant
By Wyndi Kappes
worried pregnant woman standing in kitchen
What Is Tokophobia? How to Cope With the Extreme Fear of Childbirth
By Megan Cahn
ADVERTISEMENT
sad pregnant woman walking through a city
How to Cope With Depression During Pregnancy
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
pregnant business woman sitting at a work meeting
Prenatal Stress May Help With Baby’s Speech Development
By Wyndi Kappes
close up of pregnant belly in bed
22 Empowering Affirmations to Recite During Pregnancy
By Nehal Aggarwal
pregnant woman lying in bed feeling tired
The Myth of How You’re ‘Supposed’ to Feel During Pregnancy
By Elizabeth Narins
ADVERTISEMENT
Johnson IV
On the Frontlines of the Fight for Black Maternal Health Equity
By Ashlee Neuman
SImmone Taitt
Trusting Your Body and Team: the Key to Reclaiming Power in Pregnancy
By Ashlee Neuman
Kendra Segura
Dr. Kendra Segura on Pregnancy: ‘Being Informed Is the Best Way to Fight Fear’
By Ashlee Neuman
ADVERTISEMENT
pregnant woman pondering
To Eliminate Healthcare Disparities, Black Women Must Be Heard
By Ashlee Neuman
pregnant woman relaxing with eyes closed outside
Why You Can’t Achieve Maternal Health Without Mental Health
By Ashlee Neuman
black pregnant woman standing on the beach during sunset
Social Stigmas Black Pregnant Women Face—and How to Counter Them
By Ericka Sóuter
ADVERTISEMENT
Illustration of mirror with acne spots.
How Postpartum Acne Affected One Mom’s Mental Health
By Ivana Davies
pregnant woman sitting in chair at home while looking out the window
10 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health During Pregnancy
By Aparna Iyer, MD
Pregnant Shenae Grimes-Beech.
Shenae Grimes-Beech on Combating the Pressures of ‘Perfect Motherhood’
By Lauren Kay
pregnant woman dealing with stress during pregnancy
How to Deal With Stress During Pregnancy
By The Bump Editors
ADVERTISEMENT
pregnant woman sitting and meditating
How to Find Your Inner Zen With Pregnancy Meditation
By Emily Platt
close up of pregnant woman during sunset
8 Things You’ll Miss About Being Pregnant
By Madeline Schmitz
Shawn Johnson opens up about her unhealthy relationship with her body image
Shawn Johnson Says Body Image Struggle Helped Her Become a Strong Mom
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List