Children whose mothers were stressed by "life" during pregnancy could be more likely to have cognitive issues, according to a study by European scientists.
The study, published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, adds to a growing body of evidence linking maternal stress in pregnancy and child development.
However it is the first to show some stressors experienced by the mother impact the child's neurodevelopment more so than others.
Researchers a the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Poland, asked 372 mothers about different kinds of stress they'd experienced in pregnancy and tested their children for motor and cognitive development at one- and two-years old.
The study population was chosen from the Polish Mother and Child Cohort - a multicentre prospective cohort established in 2007 with the aim to evaluate environmental factors contributing to the pregnancy outcomes, children's health and neurodevelopment.
The analysis was restricted to the women who worked at least one month during pregnancy period.
Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy was assessed based on the Subjective Work Characteristics Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale and Social Readjustment Rating Scale. The level of satisfaction with family functioning and support was evaluated by APGAR Family Scale.
Occupational stress, as well as satisfaction with family functioning, was not significantly associated with child psychomotor development.
However children whose mothers were stressed by life and by social readjustment did have some cognitive issues.
The researchers at the Nofer Institute say more studies to better understand the association will be important for developing interventions that provide more assistance to pregnant women.
Some stress during pregnancy is normal, but previous studies have shown the effects of chronic stress could be long lasting.
When stressed, a person's body goes into "fight or flight" mode, sending out a burst of cortisol and other stress hormones. Too much of these hormones in the body trigger an inflammatory response.
It is this inflammation that has been linked to poorer pregnancy health and developmental problems in babies later in life.
