Stress skadar fostrets hjärna
Children whose mothers were stressed out during pregnancy are vulnerable to mental and behavioural problems like ADHD, mounting evidence suggests.Latest UK research by Professor Vivette Glover of Imperial College London found stress caused by rows with or violence by a partner was particularly damaging.
Experts blame high levels of the stress hormone cortisol crossing the placenta.
Professor Glover found high cortisol in the amniotic fluid bathing the baby in the womb tallied with the damage.
The babies exposed to the highest levels of cortisol during their development had lower IQs at 18 months.
The same infants were also more likely to be anxious and fearful, she told a conference of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. 1
En illavarslande studie som påvisar hur den stressiga moderna livsstilen kan skada våra framtida generationer.
1 BBC News, "Stress 'harms brain in the womb'"
