Researchers at Imperial College London believe stress in the womb can last a lifetime. They say that reducing stress during pregnancy could help prevent thousands of children from developing emotional and behavioral problems.

Expectant mothers who visit the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, which opened today, June 30, will be able to see for themselves how their stress levels could affect the heart rate of their unborn baby and find out why they should reduce their anxiety levels to protect their baby before it’s born.

The researchers behind the exhibit, led by Vivette Glover, hope that it will raise families’ awareness of the importance of reducing levels of stress and anxiety in expectant mothers.

Glover and colleagues have shown that maternal stress and anxiety can affect the development of the baby’s brain. The researchers say that the stress hormone cortisol may be one way in which the fetus is affected by the mother’s anxiety during pregnancy. Usually the placenta protects the unborn baby from the mother’s cortisol, by producing an enzyme that breaks the hormone down. When the mother is very stressed, this enzyme works less well and lets her cortisol through the placenta.

This in turn can result in a greater risk of emotional problems such as anxiety or depression, behavioral problems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities.

Of course, this news is almost certain to cause worry among expectant mothers…best advice? Chill out and keep baby in mind.

Developmental news

• ADHD genes found, known to play roles in neurodevelopment (scienceblog.com)
• More children with special needs in mainstream schools (telegraph.co.uk)
• ADHD Meds and Deaths (blisstree.com)