Links between stress during pregnancy and children's weight, health and well-being
Previous studies have indicated that prolonged stress during pregnancy has an impact on the health and development of the baby. For that reason, Centre for Childhood Health has supported a review and compilation of research literature that takes a close look at stress during pregnancy and what it means for the child's growth and well-being. The project will also evaluate the effect of interventions that will either reduce stress or build resilience during pregnancy.
Background to the survey
A previous study in Denmark has shown that around 37 percent of healthy pregnant women report moderate stress. Prolonged stress during pregnancy may lead to the development of obesity and metabolic problems for both the woman and the baby. There are several reasons for this:
- Stress may lead to unhealthy weight gain during pregnancy for the pregnant woman. A weight increase that can be difficult to reduce again.
- Excessive weight gain during pregnancy increases the risk of high birth weight in the baby, which in turn increases the risk of developing obesity later in life.
- Stress may lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, which may affect both mum and baby in the early days. This may cause the child to gain weight at an early age.
Exposure to stress in the foetal stage also affects the child's stress response, which may impact their well-being and mental health later in life.
Therefore, it is relevant to clarify the literature on the subject and examine if already tested methods to reduce the pregnant woman's stress level or to build resilience to stress have also had an effect on children's health.
Project title: OBEAT - Beating Obesity intervention in a feasibility study
