Pregnancy stress enlarges placenta

Stress can increase the placenta during pregnancy

03/01/2011

Experienced and felt stress have a major impact on the physical and mental condition of the human body. Stress causes enlargement of the placenta during pregnancy, as a scientific team of an international research group has recently discovered. Whether this relationship has a negative effect on the unborn child is still unclear. However, it is clear that stress affects the growth of the nut cake.

Stress increases placenta
Persistent stress causes placental growth during pregnancy. The placenta supplies the child in the mother's stomach with vital nutrients and minerals. During a study, a research team examined about 75,000 pregnant women from all parts of Denmark. Study leader Gunther Meinlschmidt and Marion Tegethoff from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel wanted to investigate with other researchers in the USA and Denmark to what extent stress has an effect on the care of the unborn child. During the course of the study, the subjects were asked about their stress levels in work and private life. Subsequently, the data from the preliminary examinations were compared with the data provided by the participants. Like the researchers in the trade magazine „Plos One“ The placenta had grown faster in stressed women than in women at lower stress levels.

Emotions did not affect the placenta
However, the scientists pointed out that experienced and perceived stress accounts for only a minor part of the size changes of the placentas. In addition to stress, emotional states such as anxiety and depressive episodes were examined. According to the results, these emotional states of mind had no direct influence on the cake. However, this is the first time that scientists have clearly demonstrated that stress, in addition to an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking, can have a direct impact on the growth of a placenta.

Consequences for the child still unclear
However, it remains completely unclear whether a change in the growth of the placenta has a short or long term impact on the child. Damage to the baby's health is not necessarily a consequence. Rather, it could also be that nature has created a natural protective mechanism to protect the child from the negative effects of stress and stress hormones. The stronger growth of the placenta may therefore also be a form of protection, as the research team report in the abstract of the study. The results of the study provide the basis for further research. The researchers now want to investigate possible effects on the mother or child closer. (Sb)

Also read:
Risk of peanut allergy in pregnancy
No licorice during pregnancy
Fish oil capsules ineffective during pregnancy?
Migraine: Stress or chocolate no triggers
Mother coins unborn child

Picture: Doctor