The potential dangers of prenatal maternal stress and its effects on the fetus is a continuous question being asked of expectant mothers. Can external psychological or physical stressors negatively impact a developing fetus? Janet DiPietro looks at research done on a variety of animal subjects to determine what, if any, impact stress can have on fetuses, including those of humans. However, can research performed on animal subjects be applied to humans?
One of DiPietro (2000) initial statements is the powerful declaration that “there are no direct neural connections between mother and fetus” (p. 21) Yet, she argues there are numerous ways which external stressors can impact a developing fetus including substance abuse, a deprivation of oxygen …show more content…
For instance, rodents experienced deficits in motor development and learning behavior. According to DiPietro (2000), effects were greater on female rodents. Conversely, though, stressors introduced to rats caused positive effects including their ability to learn (p. 21). Rhesus monkeys were another specimen used to study stress on fetuses. Researchers found when the rhesus monkeys were introduced to stressors while pregnant, the offspring would have numerous social and psychological problems. While it was females who experienced the brunt of the deficits with rodents, it is the male offspring who are more drastically affected by prenatal stress. Similar to the mice and rats, while rhesus monkeys experienced detrimental side-effects, macaques that were studied actually made some gains. Female macaques, who as fetuses were prenatally exposed to stress, matured faster than their non-stressed peers (DiPietro, 2000, p. …show more content…
22). She cites other differences such as, women who are stressed during pregnancy typically continued to be so afterwards as well as researchers’ inability to control environments after a human birth (p. 22). Thus, while the animal research is strongly indicative of potential outcomes, one cannot make a direct correlation between prenatal stress in humans and negative outcomes for unborn fetuses.
There is an inherent problem, too, with this research trajectory: it would be considered, at best, unethical to subject human participants to the same type of stressors that the rodent and primate subjects received. Researchers who study the impact of prenatal stress on human fetuses are relegated to utilizing less intrusive experimental designs such as the Stroop Color-Word test. While it may provide physiological arousal, it is by no means as aversive as being continuously restrained, one of the stressors used on the rodents. Thus, the effects on the fetus would not be comparable to those of the
One of DiPietro (2000) initial statements is the powerful declaration that “there are no direct neural connections between mother and fetus” (p. 21) Yet, she argues there are numerous ways which external stressors can impact a developing fetus including substance abuse, a deprivation of oxygen …show more content…
For instance, rodents experienced deficits in motor development and learning behavior. According to DiPietro (2000), effects were greater on female rodents. Conversely, though, stressors introduced to rats caused positive effects including their ability to learn (p. 21). Rhesus monkeys were another specimen used to study stress on fetuses. Researchers found when the rhesus monkeys were introduced to stressors while pregnant, the offspring would have numerous social and psychological problems. While it was females who experienced the brunt of the deficits with rodents, it is the male offspring who are more drastically affected by prenatal stress. Similar to the mice and rats, while rhesus monkeys experienced detrimental side-effects, macaques that were studied actually made some gains. Female macaques, who as fetuses were prenatally exposed to stress, matured faster than their non-stressed peers (DiPietro, 2000, p. …show more content…
22). She cites other differences such as, women who are stressed during pregnancy typically continued to be so afterwards as well as researchers’ inability to control environments after a human birth (p. 22). Thus, while the animal research is strongly indicative of potential outcomes, one cannot make a direct correlation between prenatal stress in humans and negative outcomes for unborn fetuses.
There is an inherent problem, too, with this research trajectory: it would be considered, at best, unethical to subject human participants to the same type of stressors that the rodent and primate subjects received. Researchers who study the impact of prenatal stress on human fetuses are relegated to utilizing less intrusive experimental designs such as the Stroop Color-Word test. While it may provide physiological arousal, it is by no means as aversive as being continuously restrained, one of the stressors used on the rodents. Thus, the effects on the fetus would not be comparable to those of the