The psychological problems of pregnancy can cause disorders in babies. A group of researchers at UW Medicine has discovered that having chronic stress in late pregnancy could cause fetuses to absorb less iron, specifically 15% less, which can increase the risk of developing anemia.
The research found that during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, iron requirements in women can increase up to eight times. However, in those who suffer from chronic stress at the end of pregnancy, fetuses were found with up to 15% less capacity to absorb iron than those of mothers who did not have this mental condition.
The publication of the work, which has been done in Scientific Reports, has been carried out in 164 pregnant women from Germany who were separated according to whether or not they had stress during pregnancy. Fetal absorption levels were analyzed and in 107 of them iron parameters were measured in fetal cord blood at birth.
Impaired iron absorption in male fetuses
One of the findings indicated that the most dramatic changes in iron absorption in fetuses occurred in males. Dr Martin Frasch, lead author of the study, said: “What we see here is that under conditions of chronic maternal stress, male fetuses are less robust in regulating their iron health than female fetuses, and we know that this may have consequences for their neurodevelopment after birth.”
Based on the results, the researchers believe that stress should be controlled in pregnant women and try to reduce its levels thanks to relaxation techniques. In addition, if the problem continues, it should be assessed whether iron supplementation is necessary and the level of this mineral in newborns should be measured.
A pregnant woman needs about 30 mg of iron per day to meet the demands of extra blood volume, the developing placenta and the growing fetus. Most of the vitamins indicated in the prenatal stage contain these levels of iron, which is almost double the amount that a non-pregnant woman requires.
Previous studies have indicated that up to half of pregnant women have iron deficiencies. This problem can cause offspring to have low birth weight or even affect neurological development, so it is important to intervene in stress during pregnancy.
In addition, “the effect is mediated by maternal age and socioeconomic status or education in many cases, but it highlights the importance of more equitable medical care during pregnancy as a powerful means of improving prenatal and postnatal brain development,” he explains. Frasch.
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