A high-risk pregnancy can become a highly stressful situation as it combines the adaptation required for a woman to be pregnant with a significant process of uncertainty and concern for her health and that of her baby.
CIMCYC researchers conducted a study to analyze how being a high-risk pregnant woman can influence the neurodevelopment and behavior of her offspring at two years of age. This study has been conducted by researchers from the CHILDSTRESS project, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation. The principal investigator is Professor María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, and the research has been carried out at the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) in collaboration with the San Cecilio University Hospital.
The study, published in Development and Psychopathology in 2024, explored the consequences of experiencing high-risk pregnancies (such as recurrent miscarriages, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or autoimmune diseases). To assess this impact, the researchers evaluated stress levels, cortisol concentrations, and psychopathology in 112 pregnant women, divided into two groups (high-risk vs. low-risk), throughout pregnancy and followed the neurodevelopment and behavior of their children at two years of age.
Does a High-Risk Pregnancy Affect Children's Later Neurodevelopment and Behavior at Two Years of Age?
The results revealed higher perceived stress and pregnancy-related concerns among women with high-risk pregnancies compared to those with low-risk pregnancies. Furthermore, children born after a high-risk pregnancy exhibited higher scores on internalizing behaviors (such as anxiety, depression, and somatization), while children born from low-risk pregnancies showed higher scores on externalizing behaviors (such as aggressive or defiant conduct problems). Additionally, women with low-risk pregnancies had higher cortisol concentrations 24 months after childbirth, which may be related to their children’s increased externalizing behaviors.
These findings highlight the need for early detection and prevention programs for stress during pregnancy to improve both maternal and child health.
But why does this happen? These results are linked to the characteristics of high-risk pregnancies, where mothers experience multiple concerns about their own health and their child's present and future well-being. They also tend to experience contradictory emotions, alternating between happiness about their baby’s arrival and frustration and uncertainty due to the diagnosed risk. Additionally, these high stress levels may impact fetal brain maturation, particularly in areas related to emotional and cognitive regulation.
On the other hand, regarding maternal stress analysis at 24 months postpartum—measured through hair cortisol concentration—it was found that this parameter was higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group, which may be related to the increased externalizing behaviors in these children.
This study is crucial for understanding the importance of adequate prenatal care and psychological support for mothers in at-risk situations. What happens during pregnancy not only affects the mother but can also influence the child's future in what is known as fetal programming.
In conclusion, the impact of stress on brain health begins in the mother's womb.
Reference
Mariño-Narvaez, C., Puertas-Gonzalez, J. A., Romero-Gonzalez, B., Cruz-Martinez, M., Gonzalez-Perez, R., Juncosa-Castro, Y., & Peralta-Ramirez, M. I. (2024). High-risk pregnancy and its relationship with the neurodevelopment and behavior of 2-year-old children. Development and Psychopathology, 1-8.
Contact
María Isabel Peralta Ramirez: @email
