How Does Stress Affect A Fetus

Some women experience overwhelming excitement over being pregnant. Meanwhile, other women experience great stress awaiting their child. These negative emotions can come from occupational, relationship, physical, or mental problems. Emotional well-being during pregnancy is extremely important for the health of the mother and fetus. Emotions that a woman feels while pregnant have an immediate effect on her fetus, as well as a lasting impact on the child’s future development.
The emotional well-being of a pregnant woman has an immediate impact on her fetus. The emotion that has the most impact on a mother and her fetus is stress. The negative effects of stress can cause serious health issues and developmental problems. Consequently, a healthy emotional …show more content…
During pregnancy, a child is going through its most critical developmental period, specifically during the first trimester (Sigelman 96). Due to the negative effects that stress can have on a fetus during prenatal development, an impact can also be made on future child development. Low birth weight and pre-term labor are directly related to decreased motor skills, slower cognitive development and poor sleep patterns (Talge 246). Stress during the first trimester has also shown to have a relation to adult schizophrenia (Sigelman 112). While there is no recognized evidence of significant positive effects on the future development of a child due to a stable emotional well-being during pregnancy, a positive emotional well-being during pregnancy should be helpful for preventing the adverse effects mentioned above. Additionally, a mother is at less risk for post-partum depression if she experiences a healthy emotional state throughout her pregnancy (Sigelman 119). The emotional well-being of a pregnant mother can affect her fetus’ future development, just as it can directly affect the fetus while it is still in