Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Maternal stress in pregnancy and breastfeeding 

Maternal stress in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Chapter:
Maternal stress in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Author(s):

Sir Peter Gluckman

, Mark Hanson

, Chong Yap Seng

, and Anne Bardsley

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780198722700.003.0033
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2020. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 12 July 2020

Acute and/or chronic stress in pregnancy is potentially detrimental to the health of both the mother and the developing fetus. The stress response triggers the release of glucocorticoids, mainly cortisol, into the maternal bloodstream, with subsequent effects on energy metabolism, growth processes, and in the functioning of the immune system and brain. The placenta provides a barrier to natural glucocorticoids, buffering the fetus from minor changes in maternal cortisol levels but can be saturated by high maternal levels of cortisol and under conditions of maternal under-nutrition or compromised placental function. Various outcomes can be affected, including birthweight and infant behaviour. Severe stress is not always easily avoided, but daily stress, and specifically that associated with pregnancy itself, should be minimized as much as possible.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.