One consideration for thinking about the relation between stress and pregnancy is the matter of stress in pregnancy and autism. As we've emphasized elsewhere, stressing about stress is a counter-productive cycle that needs to be avoided. However, knowledge is valuable.
Expecting mothers - and their partners - should be aware of the research giving rise to widespread conclusions that pregnancy stress presents dangers to unborn children, including risks of autism. Again, though, don't stress about stress; keep the big picture in mind.
The evidence thus far is derived from mice studies. Certainly mice-based research has provided valuable medical advances and scientific insights into human disease patterns and processes. It would be a major logical fallacy though to simply assume any evidence from mice studies automatically and immediately applies to humans. That is a separate question, which has to be evaluated on its intrinsic merits.
The always delicate question of relevant proportionality is a case in point. For example, the common enough practice of pumping mice with levels of a toxin which have no relation to disproportional usage commonly practiced by humans is indeed scientifically relevant and valuable. It is not, though, in any way a sound basis from which to predict effects from the more modest human use patterns. Such extrapolation would not be methodologically sound.
So, even when researchers say the mice have been exposed to mild stress, this tells us neither what that stress level was nor how it does (or doesn't) translate to human experience. We shouldn't fill that opening by jumping to conclusions. Especially not conclusions derived from our worst fears.
Keeping those qualifications close at hand, it is true that experimental research has demonstrated in mice the placenta can transmit biochemical effects of stress to the fetus. The key factor here is an enzyme called OGT. Research suggests the OGT is inhibited in the placenta of mice who are subjected to what researchers describe as mild stress.
As suggested above, it is here that we need to be cautious. This mouse stress was generated by means of exposing them to both unfamiliar noises and to the scent of foxes. It is though well known that scent reaction can be wired into the evolved neural structure through natural selection. How then is it valid to characterize exposure to existential threat of a natural predator as a mild stress?
Still, while human applicability is complicated by this methodological wrinkle, there is value in observing that at least some level of stress among mice does correlate to significantly reduced OGT levels. These reductions triggered brain alternations for over 370 of the mice's genes.
These changed neurons are critical to neurological development, including regulation of energy use, protein development and nerve cell connections. It appears likely then that OGT helps protect the brain in pregnancy.
This discovery points to an important difference between boy and girl fetuses. Males have a naturally lower level of OGT. Thus, stress in pregnancy that is sufficient to reduce OGT will likely have a greater impact on boys. This might explain the higher frequency of autism and schizophrenia documented among males.
As noted at the start, this kind of information is valuable for expecting mothers and their partners. It should though be empowering, not a source of increased stress. The basic rule remains that it is your job to take proactive measures reducing pregnancy stress. See our suggestions for solutions that work .
Expecting mothers - and their partners - should be aware of the research giving rise to widespread conclusions that pregnancy stress presents dangers to unborn children, including risks of autism. Again, though, don't stress about stress; keep the big picture in mind.
The evidence thus far is derived from mice studies. Certainly mice-based research has provided valuable medical advances and scientific insights into human disease patterns and processes. It would be a major logical fallacy though to simply assume any evidence from mice studies automatically and immediately applies to humans. That is a separate question, which has to be evaluated on its intrinsic merits.
The always delicate question of relevant proportionality is a case in point. For example, the common enough practice of pumping mice with levels of a toxin which have no relation to disproportional usage commonly practiced by humans is indeed scientifically relevant and valuable. It is not, though, in any way a sound basis from which to predict effects from the more modest human use patterns. Such extrapolation would not be methodologically sound.
So, even when researchers say the mice have been exposed to mild stress, this tells us neither what that stress level was nor how it does (or doesn't) translate to human experience. We shouldn't fill that opening by jumping to conclusions. Especially not conclusions derived from our worst fears.
Keeping those qualifications close at hand, it is true that experimental research has demonstrated in mice the placenta can transmit biochemical effects of stress to the fetus. The key factor here is an enzyme called OGT. Research suggests the OGT is inhibited in the placenta of mice who are subjected to what researchers describe as mild stress.
As suggested above, it is here that we need to be cautious. This mouse stress was generated by means of exposing them to both unfamiliar noises and to the scent of foxes. It is though well known that scent reaction can be wired into the evolved neural structure through natural selection. How then is it valid to characterize exposure to existential threat of a natural predator as a mild stress?
Still, while human applicability is complicated by this methodological wrinkle, there is value in observing that at least some level of stress among mice does correlate to significantly reduced OGT levels. These reductions triggered brain alternations for over 370 of the mice's genes.
These changed neurons are critical to neurological development, including regulation of energy use, protein development and nerve cell connections. It appears likely then that OGT helps protect the brain in pregnancy.
This discovery points to an important difference between boy and girl fetuses. Males have a naturally lower level of OGT. Thus, stress in pregnancy that is sufficient to reduce OGT will likely have a greater impact on boys. This might explain the higher frequency of autism and schizophrenia documented among males.
As noted at the start, this kind of information is valuable for expecting mothers and their partners. It should though be empowering, not a source of increased stress. The basic rule remains that it is your job to take proactive measures reducing pregnancy stress. See our suggestions for solutions that work .
About the Author:
Expecting moms and their partners who want to keep up on all the relevant news need to follow the Stress and Pregnancy site. Also, for more great information about healthy life-choice, check out the info at our sister project, the Getting Rid of a Headache Without Medicine blog.