New Delhi: A recent study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and Dartmouth College has uncovered a concerning link between high stress during pregnancy and increased risks of depression and obesity in children later in life.
Published in the American Journal of Human Biology, the study involved a small cohort of 46 mothers and 40 toddlers, focusing on the correlation between toddler hair cortisol levels—a marker of long-term stress—and maternal prenatal depression.
Lead researcher Theresa Gildner emphasized the significance of hair cortisol testing, which offers a less invasive alternative to blood tests and provides insights into cumulative cortisol exposure over extended periods. This methodological advantage underscores its potential in assessing the impact of maternal stress on offspring development.
“The findings suggest that a child’s long-term stress physiology may be shaped by conditions experienced in utero,” Gildner explained. “Understanding these effects during pregnancy can guide interventions aimed at supporting parents and mitigating stress when it is most critical.”
The study highlighted the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the body’s stress management system, which releases cortisol in response to stress. Chronic stress can disrupt this system, leading to sustained elevated cortisol levels with serious health implications. Notably, during pregnancy, high maternal cortisol levels can adversely affect fetal development.
Gildner further elaborated that while changes in offspring cortisol levels due to early adversity might potentially benefit growth and development, they could also carry negative consequences. These include lower birth weight and increased risks of behavioral issues, along with heightened susceptibility to cortisol-related health conditions such as depression, anxiety, digestive problems, and weight gain later in life.
The study’s findings underscore the critical importance of supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy to mitigate potential long-term impacts on children’s health outcomes.
