• About
  • Contact
  • Pinterest
Pregged.com
  • Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
      • Am I Pregnant?
      • Unplanned Pregnancy
      • Miscarriage
      • Pregnancy Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
      • Mental Health
      • 1st Trimester
      • 2nd Trimester
      • 3rd Trimester
    • Week by Week
    • Getting Ready
      • Labor
      • Birth
      • Postpartum
      • Baby
      • Baby Names
      • Baby Astrology
      • Breastfeeding
    • Essentials
      • Pregnancy Products
      • Maternity Wear
      • Baby Gear
      • Diapers
      • Postpartum Products
      • Gift Ideas
  • Local
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships
  • Technology
  • Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
      • Am I Pregnant?
      • Unplanned Pregnancy
      • Miscarriage
      • Pregnancy Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
      • Mental Health
      • 1st Trimester
      • 2nd Trimester
      • 3rd Trimester
    • Week by Week
    • Getting Ready
      • Labor
      • Birth
      • Postpartum
      • Baby
      • Baby Names
      • Baby Astrology
      • Breastfeeding
    • Essentials
      • Pregnancy Products
      • Maternity Wear
      • Baby Gear
      • Diapers
      • Postpartum Products
      • Gift Ideas
  • Local
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships
  • Technology
Home » Pregnancy » FAQ » Can Anxiety During Pregnancy Harm My Baby?

Can Anxiety During Pregnancy Harm My Baby?

   Medically reviewed by Kristy June Dinampo MD
  Published on December 24th, 2023
Can Anxiety During Pregnancy Harm My Baby?
Advertisment

It’s a very important question to ask during pregnancy – Can anxiety harm the unborn baby?

We hate to say it, but yes, stress and anxiety affect pregnancy and can have negative effects on the baby.

That’s why you should never ignore anxiety problems hoping they’ll go away, but instead work on finding ways to reduce your anxiety.

Pregnancy can be a very scary time and with so much going on, anxieties can easily build up to gigantic proportions.

Here we’ll take a brief look at what outcomes for babies with anxious mothers studies have indicated, other health effects of anxiety.

Plus some ways to take charge of anxiety in pregnancy and reduce its effects.

You got this mama.

Anxiety During Pregnancy – Effects on Baby

What do scientific studies say about the effects of maternal anxiety on the developing baby?

Low birth-weight and premature labor and delivery are associated with maternal stress due to anxiety.

Some studies also indicate the increased risk of ADHD and ADD, childhood anxiety and separation disorders, and developmental delays to children whose mothers suffer severe stress during pregnancy.

However, the evidence for these isn’t very strong.

While it is generally accepted that mothers who have severe anxiety have increased risks for these problems, it is less clear how, why, and to what degree.

After all, severe anxiety is a vague term.

Each woman handles anxiety differently from another and no two expectant mothers have the exact same stressors.

In addition, while there are lots of theories to how stress harms the woman and unborn child, there is no clear answer.

Your Immune System Could Suffer

But one thing is certain, the stress caused by anxiety can quickly decimate an expectant mother’s immune system, leaving her open to frequent illness.

While it is unlikely that most common illnesses would directly harm the fetus, some – including the flu – are linked with preterm labor.

Fevers in pregnancy can also lead to birth defects, especially neural tube defects.

Dehydration and severe vomiting/diarrhea have also been known to trigger premature delivery.

Anxious Mother, Anxious Baby

In addition, stress and anxiety in pregnancy cause a dramatic increase in cortisol levels.

Cortisol is vital in the development of the lungs of infants and levels are expected to rise during pregnancy.

If a baby is exposed to too much cortisol during pregnancy, however, they may become hyper-sensitive to stress.

Studies show this sensitivity endures well into the toddler years.

Thus an anxious mother will have an anxious baby.

Obviously, it would be better for both the mother and the baby that a woman avoids excess anxiety during pregnancy.

However, learning to manage anxiety may be more important than avoiding it.

Unhealthy Pregnancy Due to Anxiety

One school of thought on why anxiety can cause problems in pregnancy is that ineffective coping skills can lead to unhealthy behaviors and habits.

Poor diet, alcohol and drug use, smoking, over-consumption of caffeine and excessive use of over-the-counter pain relievers and sleep aides are examples of these unhealthy behaviors.

Moreover, women who have very stressful lives are unlikely to be under LESS stress after the birth of a child.

This means the environment that the infant born into is going to also cause the child anxiety as he or she develops.

This could easily explain the increased risk for attention deficit disorders, anxiety, and even some developmental delays.

So there, you can be anxious about being anxious.

Commit to Finding Ways to Reduce Anxiety

Now that you know that anxiety and stress can cause real issues for you and your baby, there are basically two ways to go about solving the problem: reducing anxiety and learning how to cope with it.

Either way, seeking out a counselor or therapist might not be a bad idea.

Therapy doesn’t necessarily need to be about deep psychological journeys (although it can be).

Most therapists are trained to help with various strategies that could decrease anxiety, including time-management, organization, and even budgeting.

They also, of course, can help with relaxation techniques and emotional support.

Finally, those who struggle with anxiety are more likely to develop postpartum depression.

Education in recognizing the signs and symptoms of PDD and having an established relationship with a counselor in place couldn’t hurt.

Otherwise, remember that occasional, temporary bouts of anxiety are completely normal for everyone, pregnant or not, and are unlikely to cause any lasting ill-effects.

For these moments, think self-care and relaxation.

A quiet, warm bath in a candle-lit bathroom was my go-to. Meditation, yoga, nature walks along safe trails, and even a night of Netflix (with chill or without) might fit the bill as well.

In general, anything that is safe, diverts your mind, and is enjoyable is perfect.

Now you have the excuse to do it more often. This holds true after the baby arrives as well.

Severe and/or chronic anxiety during pregnancy requires professional intervention. For help finding a mental health professional in your area, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI in the U.S. or Minds Information Hot-Line at 0300 123 3393 in the U.K. If you feel you may harm yourself or others, contact emergency services immediately.

 

Sources:

  1. http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/mothers-stress-hormone-levels-may-affect-foetal-growth-and-long-term-health-of-child
  2. https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20040716/anxiety-during-pregnancy-increases-adhd-risk#1
  3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system
  4. http://www.newsweek.com/how-calm-your-anxiety-during-pregnancy-315242
  5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187151921500030X
  6. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-22023-9_12
Advertisment

Related Posts

  • Pregnancy Myths Debunked: What’s True and What’s Not?
  • Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore
  • Pregnancy Myths and Facts: Debunking Common Misconceptions
Advertisment
Advertisment
Trending Now
Vomiting During the Third Trimester. Is it Normal?

Vomiting During the Third Trimester. Is it Normal?

The third trimester of pregnancy is a strange time. You’ve made your way through that rocky first trimester when all you wanted to do was lay

Can Eating Cinnamon Cause Miscarriage? How Much is Safe?

Can Eating Cinnamon Cause Miscarriage? How Much is Safe?

Pregnancy is a period when expectant mothers become more cautious about their diet, considering the potential impact on their health and the well-being of their

Read more...
Labor Without Pushing — A Guide to Breathing Out Baby

Labor Without Pushing — A Guide to Breathing Out Baby

If you’ve looked into hypnobirthing or other methods of coping with labor and birth, you might have come across the phrase ‘breathe the baby out’.

Read more...
19 Things to Consider When Writing Your Birth Plan

19 Things to Consider When Writing Your Birth Plan

Whether it’s your first, second, third, or eighth pregnancy, you will probably have an idea of how you would like your labor and delivery to

Read more...
8 Ovulation Myths to Ignore When You Want to Get Pregnant

8 Ovulation Myths to Ignore When You Want to Get Pregnant

When you’re trying to get pregnant it’s normal to start spending a lot of time thinking about ovulation. If you get pregnant very easily you

Read more...
Advertisment
7 Secrets That Will Help Your Labor Go More Smoothly

7 Secrets That Will Help Your Labor Go More Smoothly

Almost every mother looks forward to the day her baby will be born with a mixture of excitement and fear.  What will happen that day?

Read more...
How to Convert Weeks into Months During Pregnancy

How to Convert Weeks into Months During Pregnancy

Converting how many weeks pregnant you are into months pregnant is frankly pretty confusing. This is because months are not neatly packaged into exactly 4-week

Read more...
Does Sex Feel the Same After Giving Birth Vaginally?

Does Sex Feel the Same After Giving Birth Vaginally?

Sex after giving birth. It’s on every new Mom’s mind at some point during or after pregnancy. Will it hurt? How long until you’ll be

Read more...
What Does Heartburn Feel Like When You’re Pregnant?

What Does Heartburn Feel Like When You’re Pregnant?

Pregnancy tends to throw up countless weird and wonderful symptoms for us to cope with. These symptoms aren’t just related to your stomach area. Oh

Read more...
10 Ways to Make Sure You Have a Healthy Bond with Your Baby

10 Ways to Make Sure You Have a Healthy Bond with Your Baby

New parents, and new moms in particular, have a lot on their mind when it comes to “things you mustn’t get wrong with your newborn.”

Read more...
Advertisment
Molar Pregnancy – What is it and Why Does it Happen?

Molar Pregnancy – What is it and Why Does it Happen?

A molar pregnancy is a rare abnormality which is caused at conception — that moment when the sperm meets the egg. But what exactly is

Read more...
What Pregnancy Will Teach You About Yourself – 14 Moms Share Their Powerful Life Lessons

What Pregnancy Will Teach You About Yourself – 14 Moms Share Their Powerful Life Lessons

At its most basic level pregnancy is a physical process that we hope will bring us a healthy baby but pregnancy often gives us many

Read more...
Rectal Pain during Pregnancy (It Really is a Pain in the Butt)

Rectal Pain during Pregnancy (It Really is a Pain in the Butt)

What Causes Rectal Pain During Pregnancy? The reason is pretty simple—the uterus expands in size, the baby keeps growing, the placenta weighs another pound or

Read more...
Weird Dreams During Pregnancy – What They Mean & Why We Have Them

Weird Dreams During Pregnancy – What They Mean & Why We Have Them

We all dream 3-4 times each night, but 90% of these dreams don’t come close to dreams you have when you’re pregnant. Even though dreams

Read more...
Faint Pregnancy Test Line is Very Light – Am I Pregnant or Not?

Faint Pregnancy Test Line is Very Light – Am I Pregnant or Not?

So you’ve taken a home pregnancy test (HPT). And you’re not sure if it’s the light or your eyes or some kind of a positive

Read more...
Advertisment
Join the Pregged Community
Follow us
  • Pinterest
Disclosure

Some of the links on Pregged lead to sites we are affiliated with, such as Amazon, and we may earn revenue from them.

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or in place of therapy or medical care. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Links
  • About
  • Contact
  • T & C’s
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Standards
Copyright © 2023 Pregged.com. All rights reserved