It has always been said that during pregnancy it is very important to remain in good spirits because failing to do so can cause you to have an irritable baby. While in many cases those words of advice are received, there are some instances where that is taken very lightly. This article expounds on the effect of anxiety, stress and depression on infants and children during gestation. There are various contributors to stress and depression amongst pregnant women, many in which are everyday occurrences. Per Schetter and Tanner (2015) stressors like racism, discrimination in the workplace and problems in our intimate relationships are all common stressors that can result into negative outcomes like low birthweight (LBW) and pre-term birth (PTB). …show more content…
Any of the listed conditions are can be detrimental to the long-term health of a child.
Anxiety in pregnancy is associated with shorter gestation and has adverse implications for fetal neurodevelopment and child outcomes. Furthermore, anxiety about a pregnancy seems to be especially potent. Finally, chronic strain, exposure to racism, and depressive symptoms in mothers during pregnancy are associated with lower birth weight infants with consequences for development as well. (Schatter and Tanner 2015)
This excerpt explains that there are multiple contributors to stress and anxiety for the average women. Lack of medical attention when experiencing symptoms of any of these conditions can lead to negative long-term effects on a child.
Actual Resolution
The most effective resolution to anxiety, stress or depression during pregnancy would be to learn how to manage symptoms when those triggers present themselves. Seeing as though many of the common influences that contribute these conditions are factors of everyday life for some women, they neglect seeking medical attention for it. To resolve these issues effectively expecting mothers must be educated on the indicators of these ailments. Also, effective family planning may decrease the stress levels concerning preparedness for
Duman, N., & Kocak, C. (2013). The effect of social support on state anxiety levels during pregnancy. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 41(7), 1153-1163. doi:10.2224/sbp.2013.41.7.1153
Having a child can be the happiest moment of a person’s life. A sweet little baby usually gives new parents tremendous joy. That joy can be accompanied with anxiety about the baby and the responsibility the new parents are faced with. The anxiety, in most cases, fades and joy is what remains. For some new mothers, however, the joy is replaced with a condition known as postpartum depression. “Postpartum depression is a serious disorder that until recently was not discussed in public…Women did not recognize their symptoms as those of depression, nor did they discuss their thoughts and fears regarding their symptoms” (Wolf, 2010). As such, postpartum depression is now recognized as a disorder harmful to both mother and infant, but, with early detection, is highly treatable with the use of psychotherapy, antidepressants, breastfeeding, and other natural remedies, including exercise.
Markham, J. A., & Koenig, J. I. (2011). Prenatal stress: Role in psychotic and depressive diseases. Psychopharmacology, 214(1), 89-106.
Prenatal brain development is not usually the first topic on a pregnant woman’s mind, if it crosses her mind at all! Many women do not know what adverse effects certain circumstances can have on a child’s development. The most obvious deterrent of brain development would be a physical injury to the child. If any portion of the child’s brain is damaged during pregnancy, the effects will almost certainly be long term. Most pregnant women successfully take the necessary steps to avoid physically damaging the child’s brain. Perhaps even scarier is the thought that continuous exposure to stress can also permanently damage the brain development of a child that has yet to be born. The US National Library of Medicine states that in humans and animals, prolonged exposure to stress that can be controlled by the mother may result in abnormal behavioral, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes. It is important for mothers to remember that they are no longer taking care of only themselves. Though unborn, there is a lot of damage that can be ...
Some things you can do to manage your stress during pregnancy is inhale slowly as you count to 4. Push out your abdomen as you breathe in. you can let your shoulders and neck relax as you slowly exhale while counting to 6. And you can repeat these techniques and often as you need to. A helpful t...
After giving birth, women will have hormonal oscillations (Rosequist). In the meanwhile, their bodies are getting back to their normal state, however if that “blues” does not go away, it can evolve in a deep depression. As she recalls, saying: “And yet I cannot be with him, it make me so nervous”(Gilman), it is obvious that Post-Partum depression is the cause of her poor attachment with the child; the mother can be hazardous to the baby; mood swing occur, and in extremes circumstances, about 1 in 1,000, it can bring psychotic indications (Hilts). If this condition if left untreated, it can cause serious psychological and physical damages. Treatment would include anti-depressants and therapy. This can also trigger other types of mental
Emotional along with physical domain in prenatal stage is necessary for the growth of the baby (Watson & McDonald, 2007). Pregnancy is the time from contraception prior to after birth, is established to be a major part of a person’s life which will carry a great deal of challenges not just for ...
Stress is plenty and more for me even at this phase in my pregnancy. As a soon to be mother I have to consider what I am going to do about school, work, and life. In four months it is not going to be just me it is going to be my baby and me. The fear that rings in my mind when I think of being called mom is almost deafening. I did not mean to get pregnant but I did take the chance therefore, I must take the responsibility.
These stressors are measured by cortisol level. Furthermore, the future of the child is also jeopardized due to stress during mother’s pregnancy. The child may have different health problems, development problems, mental and behavior problems as well. People who are planning pregnancies should be aware of the potential dangers prenatal stress can cause their
Unplanned pregnancy affects women, baby, families, and society. In the United States, 49% of pregnancies were not planned, 4 out of 5 pregnancies were not planned in women ages 19 and younger (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). A study done in 2011, revealed the fact that many of the unintended pregnancy were women with low income, and lack education (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). This unplanned pregnancy has countless negative consequences. One negative affect of an unplanned pregnancy is the lost opportunity for the women to start taking care of self in preparation of a pregnancy.
Since pregnant women may experience a lot of stress and mood swings,
Huizink, A. C., Robles de Medina, P. G., Mulder, E. J., Visser, G. H., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2003). Stress during pregnancy is associated with developmental outcome in infancy. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44(6), 810-818.
This journal was useful for me because it gave me the background details on why women are opting for delayed motherhood by the age of 30 or 40. Accordingly, I was able to build up my points on how it will affect the health conditions of both baby and mother and also the risk of taking that challenge.
The chosen health improvement initiative that is going to be studied within this community profile is reducing the amount of teenage pregna...
Poster, E. (1984). Human Responses to Child Bearing. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 6(3), 99. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.