Much stress in pregnancy can cause coordination problems in the offspring

Stressful events during pregnancy can affect your entire life
Stressful events during pregnancy directly affect the coordination of teenage offspring, according to a recent study by scientists from the Australian "University of Notre Dame". The new findings suggest that it is important to develop programs that reduce maternal stress during pregnancy. The study, conducted in collaboration with the Kids Telethon Institute, was published in the journal Child Development.

The study interviewed 2,900 pregnant women in Australia. Expectant mothers provided information on stressful events, such as financial problems, separation, divorce or death of a family member, both at weeks 18 and 34 of her pregnancy. Years later, their children's skills were tested extensively. The findings of the research could help improve long-term prospects for children with coordination problems, said Professor Beth Hands, author of the study in a statement.

Stress during pregnancy has a negative impact on the child's later coordination skills. (Image: Kaspars Grinvalds / fotolia.com)

Stress in pregnant women affects the children years later
When the children were ten, fourteen, and 17 years old, the researchers performed a 10-point motion test. Here, general motor development and coordination were examined. To this end, the doctors tested, for example, how far the children jump or how well they could stand on one leg. The researchers found that children whose mothers had experienced more stressful events during pregnancy had lower motor development in all three survey years. The greatest difficulties occurred in children whose mothers had experienced more than three stressful events during their pregnancy. Events that occurred later in the pregnancy had a greater impact. According to the researchers, this may be related to the development of the cerebellar cortex. This part of the brain, which develops later in pregnancy, is associated with movement coordination.

Lack of education and stress control programs
So far, it is not really clear how much the restrictions affect the later life, explained the doctor Dr.. Andrew Adesman from Cohen Children's Medical Center. Some of the tested skills, such as standing on one leg, would not necessarily be relevant to later life. However, given the evidence on the importance of stress in mothers during pregnancy, it is advisable to develop programs for the detection and reduction of stress. Parents need to be alerted to the effects and potential difficulties, says Professor Beth Hands. (As)