How does stress affect pregnancy? Stress during pregnancy: what are the consequences and how to avoid Severe stress during pregnancy what to do.

According to the results of studies, it has been proven that severe stress during pregnancy can leave a serious mark on the unborn baby. In women who during this period were constantly in a tense state, babies with any defects appeared more often.

What is stress?

Today, people often make a diagnosis on their own, without even fully understanding this or that concept. But you cannot self-medicate. In the common sense, "stress" is interpreted as a negative state of tension.

In medicine, this term means a non-specific response of the body or an adaptation syndrome that develops under the influence of excessive or new influences (for example, emotional or physical stress). There are several types of stress:

emotional stress. Psycho-emotional excitement of a person in various life situations, when the fulfillment of social and biological needs stops for a long period.
Eustress, which is caused by a positive mood.
Psychological stress. Due to the influence of extreme circumstances, there is a feeling of excessive psychological stress and discord in social behavior.
Distress. It appears with the periodic impact of some unfavorable situation or a deep shock. It is the most difficult and dangerous, because the body cannot cope with it alone.

As you can see, the understanding of what stress is in its usual meaning and medical meaning is as follows: a stressful state is considered to be the usual nervous excitement or emotional experiences inherent in people with excessive emotionality.

How to determine

Stress during pregnancy has its own specific symptoms and signs that are common to all people, and specific to girls in a position. In the latter case, it may be difficult to determine the stress state, since the signs of both sometimes converge. Divide signs into physical and behavioral.

Physical symptoms include:

sudden weight loss (with the exception of toxicosis);
frequent headaches and pressure drops, as a sign of stress;
redness, itching and rashes, no diseases are detected during the analysis;
panic attacks with increased heart rate;
muscle tone (in the last stages, premature birth may begin from it);
contractions of the stomach, accompanied in some cases by vomiting (difference from toxicosis in frequency and controllability);
insomnia;
difficulty breathing;
pressure drops.

Behavioral features include:

irritability, not that slight irritability that is accompanied by all pregnant girls, but frequent "explosions";
a depressive state, again, there may be a divergence of concepts, but it is better to contact a psychologist who will help;
excessive tearfulness, remember that tears for no reason are not a good sign;
concentration problems or suicidal thoughts.

If you notice these symptoms in yourself, try to analyze recent events and your state before and after this situation.

Reflection on a child

Women experiencing constant stress during pregnancy expose the child to the influence of stress hormones - cortisones. Due to stress, a woman can lose her appetite, and malnutrition or the resulting toxins also negatively affect the development of the baby. Cortisone raises blood sugar and reduces the supply of oxygen to the cells. Together, these two aspects can lead to congenital diseases.

Passivity, lack of initiative, hyperactivity, problems concentrating on one thing, poor self-control - this is what severe stress during pregnancy can lead to. Such a child is more likely to need antidepressant treatment. In addition, due to constant stressful situations, the child may have asymmetry of the fingers, legs, ears, eyes, or a low IQ.

Impact on boys and girls

Girls who are waiting for the birth of a baby should expect different consequences of severe stress during pregnancy:

When waiting for a girl, increased fatigue, unhealthy sleep affect the high nervousness of the mother. And this very nervousness can cause premature birth and cause the girl’s “first cry” to be absent.
When expecting a boy, the unstable emotional state of the mother can also cause a premature onset of labor and increase the chance of entanglement of the umbilical cord.

Toddlers have problems

A child born prematurely under severe stress is more at risk for respiratory disease, blindness, and developmental delay. Sleep problems in early childhood and infancy, a high-risk group, are all problems inherent in children born to mothers who are in a depressed state. Psychological comfort and healthy sleep are the best prevention of problems. A good mood, the state of the cardiovascular and immune systems, and the work of metabolism depend on sleep.

Several ways to fight

The effects of stress during pregnancy can be dire. Ideally, of course, throughout the entire period of gestation, be away from stress and deep emotional experiences. But this is unlikely in real life. In the event of an unforeseen stressful situation, you need to know how to deal with it.

Physical exercise. Sport helps to overcome nervous stress, affects the improvement of the body as a whole, gives a charge of vivacity and energy, improves mood and excellent shape. But the main thing is to remember that physical activity should not be contraindicated by a doctor during pregnancy. Here is the minimum and harmless load for girls in position: walking or slow walking on the simulator, swimming, water aerobics or classes on the stepper.
Pregnancy consultant. Who is this? This is a woman who has already given birth or at a term that is a couple of months longer than yours. Especially for the first time, the girl is very worried about situations that she does not understand, which causes great stress during pregnancy, because it is not clear: the norm is what is happening or not. And if it is possible to turn to an experienced woman who has gone through this difficult period, she will significantly reduce the excitement.
Meditation. Based on research by experts, meditation significantly reduces the negative effects of stress, pain, blood pressure and heart rate, and improves sleep. Before starting meditation, find a comfortable position, set a timer for 5 minutes, place your hands on your stomach, close your eyes, focus on your breathing until the time is up. Of course, this is the most simplified version.
Severe consequences of severe stress during pregnancy can be prevented by the practice of relaxation breathing. But you need to do this regularly, only in this case there will be a result. How it's done? We place our hands on the stomach and breathe, let's say, "belly", feeling the movements of the hand along with the stomach. Over time, we improve, we pause before exhaling.
Massage. This useful procedure helps relieve back pain, leg cramps, headaches and other ailments of girls in position.

As you can see, the ways to deal with stress are completely simple, and the effect of them is amazing: not only calming the nervous system, but also healing the body, relieving tension of the whole body.

Causes

Overstrain of the nervous system can occur for various reasons. Here the main role is given to the mark, which is considered the norm for a girl. Great importance is given to the psychological state at the moment. After all, even the worst in a good mood is accepted many times easier. Here are the most common causes of stress during pregnancy:

Fear of antecedents. The most common fear. Limited knowledge in this area and fueled by rumors about the unbearable pain of this process and no less danger.
Feeling about position. Everyone is afraid of miscarriage. Even with the planned birth of a child, it takes a certain period of time to get used to the idea of a new role. But the woman has 9 months for this.
Volume increase. Yes, yes, all girls are afraid of extra pounds, as a result of loss of attractiveness. Here we must remember that the form can be put in order.
Household and family troubles. It is difficult to insure against this, but you must be prepared for the excitement of adding to the family. This is very true if this is the first child.
Unrest at work. Alas, until the 30th week, a woman in position is obliged to work as a full member of the team with all the problems and worries.
Feelings for the child. The first trimester is the fear of miscarriage, the second is fetal activity, the third is premature birth.

All of the above signs are an integral part of pregnancy. But despite them, this is a wonderful time, and the time of motherhood is even more wonderful.

Frozen pregnancy

There is no reliable information that even the strongest stress for the body during pregnancy leads to fetal fading. In general, this phenomenon has not been fully studied. The main causes of miscarriage, experts include genetic, autoimmune or gynecological diseases in women. But among some doctors there is still an opinion that stress affects the negative outcome for the child.

We solve the problem

It is necessary to understand the specific cause of stress and try to eliminate it. Solving the problem in this situation will lead to satisfaction and an increase in mood. If negative emotions are caused by fears, then you need to quickly make up for the ignorance, because of which fears arise. After all, the unknown is scary. To date, many programs and trainings have been developed for expectant mothers, in which they clearly explain how the body changes during this period, and advise how to alleviate the condition as much as possible. The waiting time for the appearance of the baby is completely natural, so it should not cause much discomfort. With uncertainty and some chaos in the head, the right decision would be to contact a psychologist.

Nerves under control

During the second trimester, the girl becomes happier: toxicosis, hormonal boom and the first tests have already been completed, just the time to enjoy her new status. In the second trimester, stress during pregnancy, as a rule, does not depend on the woman, strong shocks and small experiences have a big influence here. It is during this period that the formation and development of the child, or rather its organs, takes place, and injuries have the most severe harm. Of course, this will not cause any special mutations, but the negative consequences will be:

Due to disturbances in the functioning of the uteroplacental blood flow, the child cannot receive nutrients and oxygen in full.
Hypertonicity of the uterus: up to the 22nd week it can cause a missed pregnancy, after that it can affect the premature birth of a premature baby too early.
After birth, a child who was in constant stress during development in the womb, tends to more stressful situations, as they are the norm for him.

If you still had to get nervous, then consult a doctor for a prescription of light sedatives. It is better to take action in time to avoid consequences.

First trimester

Stress during early pregnancy works on an all-or-nothing basis. The fetus is well protected from any physical injury, as the small size of the uterus is hidden in the pelvic area. And there is no reason to worry about uteroplacental blood flow. But, if you look from a different angle, then all the organs and systems of the developing fetus are just being formed, so even the most minor injuries can lead to interruption in the development and death of the fetus.

How stress during pregnancy affects the baby is already clear, but what effect does it have on the mother? A nervous state during this period can cause severe toxicosis in a woman. Because of the experience, mild nausea in the morning can become very difficult and around the clock.

Healthly food

The good mood of a pregnant girl may depend on the absence of unpleasant sensations of heartburn and toxicosis. To avoid these irritants, you need to control your diet. And the assertions that you can consume whatever you want are erroneous, because not always a pregnant woman wants healthy foods.

calories

The consequences of stress during pregnancy can be severe for a child, so the smallest details, even the number of calories consumed, are important to avoid it. Until 14-15 weeks, you should not change your usual diet, 16-28 you need to consume 25-30 kcal per kg of weight, then 29-35 kcal per kg of weight. It is not recommended to eat sweet, starchy foods or fast food.

Everyone unanimously says that during pregnancy, women should not be nervous, worry, refuse their favorite food, experience various discomforts. But why? Why are nervous experiences, stress and depression so detrimental to the health and development of the fetus? Why is a pregnant woman literally carried in her arms and trying not to be disturbed by trifles? Do stressful situations really affect the child, or is it the tricks of pregnant girls? In this article, we will try to figure out how stress affects the body of a pregnant woman and child, why the expectant mother cannot find a place for herself, and what to do if the usual methods do not help to calm down.

How stress manifests itself during pregnancy

Very often, a woman does not even realize that she is in constant stress. Especially if the reasons associated with stress stretch from the time when the expectant mother was not yet pregnant. A woman's depression can be diagnosed by her mood. Very often, pregnancy (especially desired) brings inspiration, a sense of flight, and expectation of a miracle. If a woman constantly feels a broken state, she is depressed and apathetic, most likely, stress makes itself felt. Such a state is fueled by very real physical manifestations - a headache, a heartbeat quickens, blood pressure becomes unusually high, and appetite is lost. If a woman continues to work, stress affects her performance - the expectant mother stops doing her usual norm, breaks down on clients, loses the quality of her work. In relationships with loved ones, nervousness is felt, hands can shake, nights pass without sleep, anxiety is felt, a woman begins to get sick often. If you notice these symptoms in yourself, you need to take action as soon as possible, because stress during pregnancy is very dangerous.

Causes of stress during pregnancy

Various films present a huge number of stories with rabid pregnant women who cannot contain their anger. Is everything really that complicated, or did the director's productions just exaggerate everything? Let's try to figure out why a woman experiences stress during pregnancy, what reasons can contribute to this.

Hormones. Very often a woman worries about hormonal changes. As a rule, hormones during pregnancy (especially at the initial stage) simply rage, a woman becomes tearful, often nervous, her mood changes several times a day.
Job. Stressful situations in the expectant mother may be associated with work. If the work is stressful, you need to try to transfer to another department with less psychological stress before giving birth. Often, the expectant mother worries about work if it is unofficial, because in this case the woman does not have any social guarantees. She worries that her place may be taken and her career derailed due to a forced break from work that will take place in the near future. If there is no work, experiences do not become less, especially if the father of the child is not a guarantor of stability. It can be said that work activity is one of the most serious concerns for a pregnant woman.
Finance. The practical side of the issue also plays an important role while expecting a child. Even if a woman has a stable income, after receiving maternity money (which is usually quickly spent on the needs of a baby), a woman at best receives a childcare allowance, which is quite small. The expectant mother worries about how she will feed the child, whether her husband's salary will be enough for the whole family, how to pay off a loan, mortgage, etc. Of course, these issues should be resolved by a man, but not all women are lucky with the father of the child and situations can be completely different.
Housing. Very often, the housing issue is acute - if the family does not have its own apartment or it is small enough to increase the number of residents. The lack of finances for renting an apartment, the forced need to live with relatives, a small area, unfavorable living conditions - all this can cause stress for a woman, because she, like a true mistress and mother, tries to do everything to make the baby comfortable and comfortable.
Men. Sometimes the cause of concern may be the relationship with the father of the unborn child. It's no secret that pregnancy is not always planned and desired. If a woman is not married or believes that a man will leave her as soon as he finds out about the pregnancy, this becomes a serious cause for stress.

In addition, there can be any number of reasons for worries - a figure that will probably deteriorate, the relationship of the unborn child with older brothers and sisters, the opinions of others, worries about the health of the future crumbs. The imaginary brain of a pregnant woman is able to experience stress even from watching an emotional movie. But why is it so important to keep calm and psychological balance?

It is difficult to find a woman who would go through her entire pregnancy in harmony, peace and good spirits. All pregnant women experience in one way or another, this is normal. Any mother worries about the future baby. But what does excessive psychological stress lead to? How do nervous shocks affect the health and development of the fetus in the womb?

In early pregnancy, when the fetal egg is not firmly attached to the wall of the uterus, severe stress can cause a miscarriage.
In the first trimester, the experiences of the mother are especially strongly reflected in the health of the baby in the future, since it is at this time that the vital organs of the baby are laid and formed. Due to the experiences of the mother, the baby may have various pathologies in the development of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, gene mutations, anomalies in the development of the maxillofacial system.
With strong mother stress, children are born weak, often get sick, their immune system cannot withstand external negative factors.
Very often, the depressive state of the mother during pregnancy is reflected in the baby in the distant future. If after birth the baby seems healthy, then after 5-10 years he develops various psychological disorders, for example, schizophrenia. At a minimum, such children grow up closed, it is difficult for them to find new friends.
The very course of pregnancy during stress is aggravated by various complications. The placenta may begin to exfoliate ahead of time, polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios may occur. All this leads to hypoxia and even intrauterine death of the fetus.
Babies whose mothers constantly worry about something during pregnancy often suffer from enuresis and hyperactivity. These children are prone to autism.
Due to the mother's worries, the child in late pregnancy may be overly active, which leads to entanglement of the umbilical cord.
The stress of the mother in the later stages leads to premature birth, and, as a result, a premature and low birth weight baby.
Such children are more likely to suffer from various kinds of allergic reactions and asthma.

Stress is a serious test, especially for a pregnant woman. And this is important to understand, not only for herself, but also for the people around her. But what to do if the anxiety does not go away?

How to get rid of stress during pregnancy

First you need to try to get rid of the provoking factor. Sit down and try to have a heart to heart talk with yourself. What are you afraid of? What are you worried about? Believe me, you do not need such a man who abandoned you after the news of the pregnancy. You earn enough money to be enough for the first time, because the baby, in fact, needs very little, especially if he is breastfed. An apartment is a business, the main thing is that the baby is born healthy. All worries about finances, work, figures will seem like simple mouse fuss to you as soon as you see your baby's native eyes. Believe me, no worries are worth the health of your baby.

Share your fears with your loved ones, walk more, eat right, tune in to positive, watch good and kind films. Communicate with pregnant women - for the most part, they are sweet and carefree creatures. If there is an older child, devote all your free time to him so that later he does not feel deprived. Sleep more, engage in acceptable physical activity, communicate with nice people. Take a shower with aromatic oils, eat delicious meals, cook, listen to music, reread your favorite books. All this will give you a bunch of positive emotions that simply will not leave you time to worry. Believe me, the birth of life in your womb is already happiness.

Pregnancy is a time of excitement, worries and worries. However, anxiety is not always pleasant. Anything happens in life and often a woman is forced to experience serious emotional upheavals during pregnancy. Whatever the environment, you need to remember that there is nothing more important than a child in the womb. Try to stay calm and not worry about the little things. It's better to seem like a carefree fool than a hysterical vixen. Remember the child is the main motivation for your appeasement.

Video: stress during pregnancy

Stress, even in the normal state of a person, is a very serious test for any organism. What can we say about how hard it is tolerated during pregnancy. At this time, both external factors (cold and heat, hunger and thirst, physical activity, etc.), as well as emotional, psychological ones (resentment, fatigue, fear of childbirth, death of a loved one, nervous tension, etc.) can disable the nervous system. .). Any nervous stress during pregnancy is dangerous both for the health of the woman herself and for the condition of the child she is carrying.

It often happens that a pregnant woman does not even notice that she is under constant stress. She gets used to it so much that she takes all her fears and worries for granted. In the meantime, constant stress during pregnancy is doing its destructive work from the inside. Therefore, every expectant mother should be able to analyze her condition and pay attention to the main symptoms of stress:

apathy, indifference to everything, lethargy;
decrease in working capacity;
lack and loss of appetite;
periods of inexplicable anxiety, nervousness;
frequent heartbeat;
dizziness;
tremor of the limbs (their trembling);
lowered immunity - frequent colds.

If all this is the case, most likely, your condition is serious enough and requires prompt correction. Scientists have found that in the female body in a state of stress during pregnancy, the amount of special hormones, glucocorticoids, increases significantly. And they affect not only genes, but also have a close relationship with the work of the placenta. Accordingly, their consequences can be the most serious.

Why is stress dangerous during pregnancy?

There are women who talk about the strongest stresses they endured during pregnancy, which had absolutely no effect on the condition of their baby and childbirth. These are very controversial situations, since the consequences can manifest themselves much later - problems can begin in a child at school or transitional age, when serious changes in the psyche occur. Doctors have long explained how stress affects pregnancy and the future health of the baby. It can lead to the following consequences:

small ;
premature birth;
stress in late pregnancy provokes anomalies in the formation of the child's nervous system;
problems of adaptation in the team;
autism or hyperactivity;
fears and phobias;
stress in early pregnancy can lead to severe fetal hypoxia.
enuresis;
terrible birth anomalies - such as "cleft lip" or "cleft palate";
allergic and asthmatic reactions in the newborn;
the development of diabetes;
cardiovascular diseases;

As you can see, being strong is a very serious test for both the baby and the expectant mother. That is why it is so important to try to avoid it by all means. And this should be understood not only by the woman herself, but first of all by those who surround her during this period of life.

How to avoid stress during pregnancy?

To help a pregnant woman avoid the terrible consequences of a stressful state should be the doctor observing her, and her relatives and friends. After all, it is on the latter that her psycho-emotional state depends. Pregnancy is not a time for quarrels, tantrums, and even more so divorces. To avoid nervous tension, the expectant mother needs to know methods that quickly and effectively restore peace of mind.

Learn to control your thoughts: stop thinking about the bad, wait only for the negative. Tune in to the positive and think about a safe birth and your baby, whom you will soon be hugging. If you feel that you are not able to do this yourself, be sure to sign up for special trainings or go to a psychologist.
Don't be alone with your fears. Find someone you can tell everything to. Do not leave negativity in yourself, get rid of it by any means.
Walk more in the fresh air, do not forget to ventilate your room.
Eat well, especially fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Sleep as much as you want.
Do physical education for pregnant women: special, swimming, even yoga.
Communicate only with those people who are pleasant to you. Eliminate from your social circle those who often offend you or just annoy you.
Get plenty of rest, especially in the first few months. While you are working, your lunch break is a must. Do not work in the evenings: before going to bed, you need to learn how to relax and get pleasant emotions from some favorite thing that gives you pleasure.
There are many ways to relax: discover the world of aromatherapy, book a massage or acupuncture, meditate.

Every woman who is preparing to become a mother should be very clear about the dangers of stress during pregnancy and why it is so important to avoid it by any means. To protect your baby from negative consequences, you need to be able to concentrate on the main thing - on your position, and try to ignore annoying little things and failures.

Unfortunately, busy days happen outside of plans and schedules. They do not bypass expectant mothers. Troubles at work, disagreements with her husband, domestic troubles ... During pregnancy, a woman often perceives various problems too sharply. But you can learn to react to external stimuli not so painfully.

Stress during pregnancy: how to help yourself?

1. Directed aggression. Often, a future mother, knowing about the dangers of negative emotions, forbids herself from experiencing them: “I can’t cry,” “Stop getting angry,” etc. However, emotions do not disappear anywhere, but simply transform into bodily clamps, increased muscle tone. Therefore, to truly free yourself from negativity, it can be helpful to allow "forbidden" behavior, adapting it to the place. Are you angry at a colleague who took advantage of your position to get the promotion you were hoping for? Keep a piece of plasticine on hand that can be kneaded, rolled ... With such actions, all the tension goes into the hands and fingers, and the cessation of manipulation leads to relaxation of these parts of the body and removal of irritation. For the same purpose, we take pencils and paper: with quick movements, draw something on paper (doodle or cartoon on the offender), then tear the sheet into many small parts, collect them into a fist and crumple the ball, which then send it to the trash can.

2. Monotonous activity. Do not try to drive away intrusive thoughts and feelings. It is better to switch your attention to any monotonous activity that is pleasant for you. For example, you can start making slingobuses - they will be useful to you after the birth of your baby. It is convenient to always take them with you, get them out of your bag, for example, if you are annoyed while waiting in line. Bright colors will draw attention, the use of natural materials will have a calming effect on the senses, and tying, weaving and arranging beads will calm the nerves and help you relax during pregnancy. In addition, an additional reminder of the future baby will cause pleasant emotions.

3. Water procedures. Water has always been considered a good helper in the fight against fatigue and stress. Many people benefit from swimming in the pool. If training is not recommended for you for medical reasons, you can provide yourself with a relaxation session in the shower. Close your eyes and feel the drops of water fall on your body and flow down, try not to think, but just feel the water on your skin. Stay like this for a few minutes, feeling how the drops carry away your problems with water. Repeat to yourself: “Everything flows, everything changes, this too will pass.” This meditation will help you relax.

4. Just the facts. It happens that in order to stop being nervous, it is enough just to remove the uncertainty of the situation by obtaining additional information. Are you worried about not very good tests, and the doctor only scared you of the upcoming hospitalization? Read the literature on the subject, consult another specialist, collect all the data before jumping to conclusions and getting upset. If the situation is really not going well, then try to mentally build a scenario in which the current situation is perceived as relatively good, since the alternative could be worse. For example: “And if I didn’t come for a consultation this month, I could harm the baby, otherwise everything can be fixed.”

5. Business side of the issue. To reduce stress during pregnancy, you can switch from the emotional side of the issue to the business side, that is, get down to business: the technical side of the problem, planning, solving, etc. a child cries, during the day a teenager listens to music at full volume), instead of being nervous, keep yourself looking for options for a real solution to this problem. Perhaps it's time to think about repairs, then it will be possible to soundproof the walls, because your baby will soon also begin to disturb the neighbors. In general, a way out can always be found.