Conflicts and stressors can vary in nature. The national and social circumstances affect a pregnant woman as much as her personal circumstances. A woman requires the help and support of her family, friends, gynecologists, community and the government for giving birth to a healthy child. In many regions, lack of proper health care facilities, scarcity of doctors and midwives lead to maternal mortality. Research shows that in countries with conflict and poor healthcare facilities maternal mortality rates are high.
Due to adverse social and political circumstances, pregnant women are migrating to other countries. Most of them do not have legal documents for staying in the new country. Financial crisis and fear of persecution affects their health. Stress can lead to early delivery and the pre-matured baby may fail to survive.
Miscarriages are also common among women who are fighting with excessive stress. The nature of stressors and their ill effect on woman may vary. Work load, financial constraints, break up, divorce or other family problems can be the reasons of stress.
Stress can be the cause of preterm labor:
The pregnancy is supposed to be 40 weeks long after which period the water breaks and the pregnant woman goes into labor. Premature birth or preterm labor refers to giving birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed. This is quite a common occurrence but too early birthing can lead to complications.
The doctors and medical experts believe that preterm labor causes the babies to born before they are fully developed. Some premature babies suffer from cerebral palsy all their lives and some face breathing troubles. Stress makes the brain release a hormone named the corticotrophin releasing hormone or CRH. CRH is responsible for the contractions during labor. If the amount of this hormone rises before the 40 weeks of pregnancy have been completed then the woman may go into preterm labor.
Chances of miscarriage rise with stress:
During the early months of pregnancy, women are often asked to be cautious. This is because during the first three months there is a high chance of miscarriage due to stress, strain or injury. Medical experts and researchers have been trying for a long time to establish the connection between mental stress and miscarriage.
One of the major ways in which stress affects pregnancy is by forcing the brain to send signals for the secretion of CRH. This special type of hormone affects some particular body cells and instigates the secretion of allergic chemicals. Tryptase, formed in this way, prevents the healthy growth of the placenta and disrupts the development of the embryo. As a result, miscarriage takes place. The production of the growth hormone cortisol also affects pregnancy adversely in the first stages. Cortisol raises the level of progesterone in the body of the pregnant woman. Increased level of progesterone prevents the developments inside the uterus.
Long-term effects of stress:
Stress not only makes pregnancy difficult but it also affects the physical and mental health of the new born for the long term. Scientific research has found that children who are born before the 40 week of pregnancy suffer from mood swings and behavioral problems.
If the mothers are worries and stressed during the first trimester of pregnancy, then babies show symptoms of anxiousness and irritability. Women who suffer from anxiety may find it difficult to conceive normally. Medical scientists have found that infertility in women is linked to anxiousness and high levels of stress.
Summary:
Stress can affect pregnant women and disrupt the pregnancy, as miscarriages are usually linked with excessive stress due to the conflicts in the family.