Titre du document / Document title

Prenatal maternal stress: effects on pregnancy and the (unborn) child

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

MULDER E. J. H. ⁽¹⁾ ; ROBLES DE MEDINA P. G. ⁽¹⁾ ; HUIZINK A. C. ⁽²⁾ ; VAN DEN BERGH B. R. H. ⁽³⁾ ; BUITELAAR J. K. ⁽²⁾ ; VISSER G. H. A. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Department of Perinatology and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, PAYS-BAS
⁽²⁾ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, PAYS-BAS
⁽³⁾ Population and Family Study Centre, Brussels, BELGIQUE

Résumé / Abstract

Background: Animal experiments have convincingly demonstrated that prenatal maternal stress affects pregnancy outcome and results in early programming of brain functions with permanent changes in neuroendocrine regulation and behaviour in offspring. Aim: To evaluate the existing evidence of comparable effects of prenatal stress on human pregnancy and child development. Study design: Data sources used included a computerized literature search of PUBMED (1966-2001); Psychlit (1987-2001); and manual search of bibliographies of pertinent articles. Results: Recent well-controlled human studies indicate that pregnant women with high stress and anxiety levels are at increased risk for spontaneous abortion and preterm labour and for having a malformed or growth-retarded baby (reduced head circumference in particular). Evidence of long-term functional disorders after prenatal exposure to stress is limited, but retrospective studies and two prospective studies support the possibility of such effects. A comprehensive model of putative interrelationships between maternal, placental, and fetal factors is presented. Conclusions: Apart from the well-known negative effects of biomedical risks, maternal psychological factors may significantly contribute to pregnancy complications and unfavourable development of the (unborn) child. These problems might be reduced by specific stress reduction in high anxious pregnant women, although much more research is needed.

Revue / Journal Title

Early human development   ISSN 0378-3782   CODEN EHDEDN 

Source / Source

2002, vol. 70, n^o1-2, pp. 3-14 [12 page(s) (article)] (50 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Elsevier, Amsterdam, PAYS-BAS  (1977) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Regulation(control) ; Central nervous system ; Stress ; Review ; Development ; Child ; Anxiety ; Complication ; Mother ; Prenatal ; Pregnancy disorders ; Human ; Female ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Régulation ; Système nerveux central ; Stress ; Article synthèse ; Développement ; Enfant ; Angoisse anxiété ; Complication ; Mère ; Prénatal ; Gestation pathologie ; Homme ; Femelle ;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Regulación ; Sistema nervioso central ; Estrés ; Artículo síntesis ; Desarrollo ; Niño ; Angustia ansiedad ; Complicación ; Madre ; Prenatal ; Gestación patología ; Hombre ; Hembra ;

Mots-clés d'auteur / Author Keywords

Prenatal stress ; Maternal anxiety ; Pregnancy ; Child development ; Pregnancy complications ; Stress regulation ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 17562, 35400010679489.0010