The experiences that a woman goes through during pregnancy not only affect her, but also the developing fetus can suffer their impact, whether they are positive events or constitute a misfortune, as has just happened with the DANA that has devastated several locations in the Valencian community. These effects can also be maintained during childhood.
Natural disasters like this DANA act as stressors on pregnant women and a team of researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) has concluded that high levels of stress in pregnant women increase the risk of alterations in the neurological development of the children. you drink.
The research that has revealed these consequences has been published in the journal Behavioral Sciences and is based on the analysis of more than 1.3 million mothers and newborns in countries such as the United States, China, Chile, Canada, Australia and India. Their results indicate that maternal exposure to natural disasters, such as the recent DANA in Valencia, is linked to less favorable brain development in newborns.
Led by Rafael A. Caparrós-González, from the UGR Nursing Department, the team conducted an exhaustive review of 1,971 studies, of which 30 met the inclusion criteria. “The intrauterine period is a time of maximum vulnerability for embryonic and fetal development during which maternal stress levels are closely related to neonatal brain development,” Caparrós explained in a note published by the UGR.
Prenatal exposure to stress and emotional regulation in childhood
Every year more than 400 natural disasters occur around the world, resulting in economic losses of more than 50 million euros or damage to more than 2,000 homes, but how does the stress suffered by pregnant women impact their brain development? your babies after birth? Caparrós points out that psychological stress during pregnancy can cross the placenta, reaching the developing fetus.
“This is a mechanism that is possible thanks to several pathways and all of them begin with high levels of stress during pregnancy. Maternal psychological stress can alter the levels of different components (biomarkers), such as the stress hormone cortisol, or several neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, involved in brain development and functioning,” details the researcher.
Maternal exposure to natural disasters is related to lower emotional regulation in children, who may present symptoms of anxiety and depression at ages 4 and 6
Likewise, maternal stress can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is key in the stress response. The results show that maternal exposure to natural disasters is related to lower emotional regulation in children, who may present symptoms of anxiety and depression at ages 4 and 6, as well as sleep problems and symptoms of ADHD and autism spectrum disorders. (TORCH).
The study also highlights that children who have been exposed to these natural events before birth tend to obtain worse results on vocabulary, reading and mathematics tests between the ages of 8 and 10. “It would be essential to improve mental health care for pregnant women, especially in times of crisis when stress levels are higher. The health of mothers and future generations depends on this optimal care of mental health during pregnancy,” Caparrós concluded.
Fountain. University of Granada (UGR)
