The impact of stress during pregnancy. How does nervous stress affect the expectant mother during pregnancy and what are the consequences for the child? Stress due to pregnancy

A woman experiences a storm of emotions during pregnancy; figuring out what she finally wants is very, very difficult. She may get angry, cry a few minutes later, and then smile. How can a pregnant woman learn to remain calm again?

The reason for the storm of emotions in pregnant women.

Pregnant women have a changeable mood, and various little things can make them nervous. It should be noted that these little things formerly a woman I didn’t even pay attention. The reason for this behavior is the production of a large amount of female hormones necessary for normal childbearing. The main pregnancy hormones include gonadotropin: early stages pregnancy there is a high level of the hormone, the maximum concentration is at 7-10 weeks of pregnancy, increased concentration causes nausea, and this causes increased irritability; progesterone: a hormone that affects the process of bearing a child, the level of the hormone is high, it causes a woman to quickly fatigue; estriol: a natural antioxidant produced throughout pregnancy.

The changed hormonal background most strongly affects the emotional state of a pregnant woman in the first trimester. Special attention You should pay attention when:

· you were prone to mood swings even before pregnancy;

· You lost a baby during a previous pregnancy. During a new pregnancy, a woman will listen to her body and look for signs of threat, and this increases irritability and serves as a reason to lose her temper. Keep in mind that negative emotions can provoke the threat of termination of pregnancy, we get a vicious circle.

· pregnancy occurred under the persuasion of your husband or relatives, then you may not understand why you need pregnancy, as a result, the pregnant woman begins to take out her anger on her loved ones, who forced her to decide to give birth to a child.

· you are used to commanding and being obeyed, you are used to keeping everything and everyone subordinate, but closer to childbirth your performance decreases, often those around you begin to help you with the best intentions, but to a strong woman such care seems to be a signal - I have become weak, and this is the basis of nervous stress .

How nervous breakdowns affect pregnancy.

Hormones change throughout pregnancy, so you will experience mood swings throughout your pregnancy. However, it is worth remembering that severe stress can provoke the risk of a threatened miscarriage (hypertonicity of the uterus), cause problems with sleep, appetite, exacerbation of chronic diseases, skin problems, and gastrointestinal ulcers.

You can tell you are having a nervous breakdown if:

· fatigue sets in quickly, common mistakes at work;

· can't concentrate;

· suffers from insomnia, nightmares;

· suffers from insurmountable anxiety;

· increased heart rate, neck pain, headache, pain in the neck, back.

You are having a nervous breakdown - what should you do?

It is difficult to cope with feelings on your own; you should seek help from a specialist. First, tell your gynecologist about your nerves and he will prescribe you: valerian, motherwort infusion, Glycine, Person, Magne B6. Only a specialist will prescribe the required dosage and tell you how long to take them. If the measures taken are not enough, the doctor will refer you to a psychologist or psychotherapist.

How a pregnant woman can cope with nervous stress.

1. Throw out your emotions - anger, anger overtook you at work, you can go to the toilet and wash with cold water, open the tap to full and hit the stream of water with the edge of your palm;

2. Train yourself to relax

3. Sleep is the best medicine. If you don't get enough sleep, then this is a direct path to stress. You should try to sleep 8 hours a day, and if possible, you can take a nap for a couple of hours during the day. Give yourself a SIESTA!

4. Talk through problems. You were rude at work, pushed into public transport etc. It’s worth talking through the situation, if there is a problem, then it will be easier for you to understand the reason and solve it.

5. Seek support from your husband. Don't take your anger out on your husband, this will only make the situation worse. It is worth explaining to him that you are going through a difficult period and need help. Ask him to help you, even tug on his mustache or beard (if that makes you feel better). Believe me, your husband, just like you, wants you to be calm and cheerful.

The pregnancy period has many physiological and psychological nuances. Doctors play it safe, prescribe a lot of tests to prevent any harmful changes in the condition of the mother and child, prescribe rest and advise to be careful. But, like any person, a pregnant woman may feel stressed under the influence of various life circumstances. There are many causes and manifestations of stress during pregnancy. What consequences does it threaten? How to deal with it? Do I need to see a doctor? Let's answer these questions.

Everyday and medical understanding of stress

People often describe their condition using medical terms. Moreover, in modern world, oversaturated with available information, this is sometimes done with complete confidence in the correspondence of the chosen word with the current state of affairs.

But you can’t diagnose yourself on your own. In addition, when juggling concepts, we often give them inaccurate meaning or even interpret them in our own way. This creates differences in understanding between professionals with relevant knowledge in this area and ordinary people.

Thus, stress in the commonly used sense is a state of tension, usually negative.

From a medical point of view, stress is a nonspecific reaction of the body or an adaptation syndrome that develops under the influence of various intense or new influences (strong physical activity, psycho-emotional trauma).

There are several types of stress.

• Eustress caused by positive emotions.
• Distress. Occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to an unfavorable factor or severe shock. The most harmful type of stress, since the body is unable to cope with it on its own, which leads to severe physical and psychological consequences.
• Emotional stress. Psycho-emotional experiences of people in various life situations, when the satisfaction of social and biological needs is limited for a long time.
• Psychological stress. A state of extreme psychological stress and disorganization of behavior in society as a result of exposure to extreme factors.

From the classification it is clear that the differences between the ordinary and medical understanding of stress lie in the following:

• non-specialists often call stress the usual nervous excitement or mental agitation that is inherent in emotional people prone to mood swings and outbursts;
• on the other hand, the majority do not recognize stress from positive emotions, believing that only negative experiences have a detrimental effect on a person. But if you are so happy about an unexpected gift that you cannot hold back a cry of joy or tears, then from a medical point of view you are experiencing eustress;
• people believe that stress is always caused by objective life circumstances. But that's not true. After all, different people have different attitudes to the same case. For some, buying a home is very stressful, but for others it is a welcome event, comparable to pleasant chores. The body’s emotional reaction is born as a result of analyzing its own thoughts and assessments.

Symptoms and signs

Stress has its own symptoms. Among the signs there are common ones, characteristic of all people, and there are additional, specific ones that appear in pregnant women. The difficulty of diagnosis lies in the fact that sometimes signs of stress are mistaken for a normal condition typical of pregnancy.

Tearfulness is a sign of stress in pregnant women

All symptoms can be divided into two groups: physical and behavioral.

Physical symptoms

• weight loss (if it is not caused by toxicosis);
• headaches as a result of pressure changes, which is also a sign of stress;
• stomach cramps, sometimes even vomiting. Unlike toxicosis, attacks are infrequent and more controlled;
• insomnia. It differs from that which is often observed in women recent months pregnancy and is associated with discomfort when the stomach presses on the internal organs;
• rash, redness, itching and severe peeling of the skin. As a rule, in such situations, test results do not show the presence of any abnormalities;
• difficulty breathing. They are easier to identify in the early stages, since the child is not yet putting pressure on the internal organs;
• panic attacks accompanied by increased heart rate;
• pressure surges;
• muscle tone. A very dangerous symptom, especially in the last months of pregnancy, as there is a risk of premature birth;
• the baby’s behavior in the tummy: he stops moving or, conversely, shows strong activity;
• lack of appetite or, conversely, strong cravings for food. Often a pregnant woman gains a lot heavy weight, which also affects the birth process. A properly selected diet is very important;
• frequent exacerbations of ARVI. Observed due to weakening immune system.

Behavioral signs

• depression. It is very difficult to recognize and diagnose. Here again there is a lot of confusion with concepts. It wouldn’t hurt to go to a psychologist if you feel like you’ve reached a dead end. They will listen to you and help you find a way out of your difficult situation;
• irritability. Mild irritability is inherent in all pregnant women, but systematic outbursts are not the norm, no matter what stage of pregnancy you are at;
• difficulty concentrating;
• tearfulness. In general, releasing emotions is not a bad thing. The nervous system is unloaded, the person becomes better. However, tears for no reason are a warning sign;
• the appearance of thoughts of suicide. Can be observed after severe shocks. It is better, of course, to immediately consult a doctor at the first sign of this;

It is important to be able to distinguish when a symptom is a real consequence of the stress suffered, and not just the effect of progesterone. Analyze recent events in life and your condition before and after a certain incident. If you understand that a rash on your hands appeared after, for example, a quarrel with your husband, and the test results do not reveal any abnormalities, then this is most likely the body’s reaction to the situation experienced.

Causes

The causes of stress can be different. Here main role plays the so-called psychological threshold, up to which a woman considers the course of any case to be normal. The psychological state at the moment is also important. After all, even the most bad news is perceived more easily in an upbeat mood.

However, the specificity of stress in pregnant women is such that, in addition to psychological reasons(quarrels with the husband, jealousy of the older child, fears due to the financial situation) physiological ones also appear. Here is a list of the most typical reasons for waiting for a baby:

• fear of upcoming birth. This is the most common of all fears. Due to the paucity of knowledge in this area, as well as imposed stereotypes that are far from reality, this process seems to be the quintessence of pain and danger;
• fear of pregnancy and fears in connection with its course. The vast majority of women face this. Even with a planned pregnancy, it takes time to get used to the new role of a mother and plan further actions. But nature foresaw everything well and allocated 9 whole months for preparation;
• physiological changes. The problem of the figure and excess weight always relevant for a woman. The fear of gaining extra pounds and losing attractiveness can unsettle even the most persistent. The rapid pace of change is also frightening. Remember that everything is reversible and temporary!
• family and household problems. No one is safe from them. It’s clear that the arrival of a new family member will force you to make some adjustments to your usual lifestyle. This is especially true if parents are expecting their first child. But it may also be that the cause of severe stress is a minor domestic conflict;
• problems at work. Unfortunately, until 30 weeks, a pregnant woman is forced to work and, as a member of the team, participate in a complex system of internal relationships;
• worry about the baby. In the first trimester, many are afraid of a miscarriage, in the second they worry that the baby is not moving much in the tummy, in the third - that it will be born early. These are normal manifestations of maternal instinct;
• any unforeseen circumstances.

Possible consequences

Poor health of the mother is transmitted to the child

Pregnancy in women develops in stages. Each month of gestation is very important, as gradual development occurs internal organs and skills (the ability to clench your fingers into a fist, open your eyes). Any interference in these processes threatens with serious consequences. The table shows possible complications associated with each trimester of expecting a child.

Consequences of stress in early and late pregnancy (by trimester)

Period	Private consequences	General consequences
1st trimester	Miscarriage. Development of schizophrenia in a child. Weakening of the immune system. Frequent ARVI. The appearance of such anomalies as a result of improper development of the embryo at 8–9 weeks, such as “cleft lip” and “cleft palate”.	Intrauterine fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen). It can cause both developmental disorders and suffocation (asphyxia). Violation of uteroplacental blood flow. Consequences: hypertension, threat of miscarriage, severe form of gestosis (in the mother), immediate delivery by caesarean section(2–3 degrees). Intrauterine developmental delay. Increased toxicosis, which can lead to early release of water or leakage.
2nd trimester	Development of congenital autism. Children may also adapt less well in society and may not want to communicate with peers. Increased blood sugar, which may result in diabetes and postpartum hemorrhage; birth of a large child (over 4 kg).
3rd trimester	The normal pregnancy cycle is disrupted. Early labor is often provoked (up to 36 weeks), but post-term labor is also possible (42 weeks or more). Prolonged difficult labor, which may lead to emergency delivery by caesarean section. There is a risk of developmental abnormalities nervous system baby. A delay in psycho-emotional development may occur: the child will begin to speak later than his peers, and it will be difficult for him to concentrate. It is not uncommon for the baby to become entangled in the umbilical cord.

Can stress cause a missed pregnancy?

There is no reliable information that even severe stress is the cause of missed abortion. In general, this relationship is poorly understood. Among the main prerequisites for miscarriage, doctors identify genetic or gynecological diseases in the mother, and autoimmune disorders. However, some scientists are inclined to believe that indirectly stress still provokes an unfavorable pregnancy outcome.

For example, the famous British obstetrician Grantley Dick-Read, who changed the negative opinion of the majority of his fellow citizens about natural childbirth in the mid-20th century, wrote:

I believe there is something in a mother's blood that changes depending on her mood. When the psychological and emotional state of the mother changes, the endocrine glands produce substances that enter the blood, which nourishes not only the mother, but also the child. Thus, the child's condition cannot remain the same. Today we know that when the mother’s emotional state changes, we can register an increase or decrease in the fetal heartbeat, that is, we can definitely say that the development of the child also depends on the mother’s mood during pregnancy.

Ways to overcome

There is an opinion that the most effective way to combat stress caused by negative factors is through rest or maximum relaxation, that is, you need to take your mind off the problem. Yuri Burlan, the creator of modern methods for studying the unconscious person, believes that this is not entirely true. In his opinion, this approach is not universal, and a person who experiences severe psychological stress or is diagnosed with depression cannot do without professional psychological and medical help.

Solving problems and dealing with strong fears

• It is important to identify the specific cause of stress and try to cope with it.. The solution to the problem itself in this case will bring satisfaction.
• If stress is caused by fears, then it is urgent to fill the information gaps that caused the fears. After all, the biggest fear is the unknown. Now there are many courses and trainings for pregnant women, where they will explain in simple and detailed terms what happens in the body during pregnancy and childbirth. They will give advice on how to alleviate the condition. The period of waiting for a child is natural for a woman, so it should not bring severe discomfort.
• If there is chaos in your head and you lack certainty, then turning to special psychological techniques and spiritual practices can help. Understand yourself, find a foothold, put all past and expected events “on the shelves”.

Proper nutrition

Firstly, a woman’s mood can directly depend on the discomfort caused by toxicosis or heartburn. Both of these symptoms can be alleviated by adjusting your diet. Secondly, the common belief that during pregnancy you can afford everything you want is wrong. In addition, there is no reliable evidence of a connection between the desire for a certain product and the actual lack in the body of the trace element or substance it contains. And to maintain the vital functions of a growing baby, you need to eat on average only 300–500 kcal per day more than usual.

Calorie intake by week of pregnancy

There is no need to change your usual diet until the 15th week. From 15 to 28 weeks, doctors recommend increasing the caloric intake of food to 25–30 kcal per kilogram of body weight, and from 28 to 30 weeks - up to 35 kcal per 1 kg of body weight. Moreover, the nutritional value of food should not be regulated by sweets or starchy foods.

Healthy lifestyle and positive attitude

• Yoga or light exercise. It is known that during physical activity the body produces a hormone that improves mood..
• Regular walks in the fresh air.
• Elimination of stress factors. There's no need to complicate things. If loud music bothers you, just turn it off.
• Communicate as much as possible with people who are sincerely disposed towards you, with those with whom it is easy and pleasant.

Medical help

Abroad, there has long been a practice of turning to private psychoanalysts to help “work through” difficult life situations, so that there are no unsaid things, especially in front of oneself. Russian people, due to their mentality, often perceive this as an excess, which, moreover, not everyone can afford. However, we also have all kinds of free hotlines psychological assistance. Don't be shy about asking for help when you really need it!

As a rule, doctors prescribe plant-based sedatives to pregnant women: tincture of valerian or motherwort, Persen, Novo-Passit. More serious drug treatment applies only in special cases difficult situations. Antidepressants are used only when the harm from stress to the mother’s health is more destructive than possible consequences for the unborn child.

Gallery “How to deal with stress”

Serious effects of stress can be successfully treated with special medications You need to tell your doctor about your condition. The fewer unresolved everyday problems, the less stress. Solve them together, don’t take everything upon yourself Proper nutrition And healthy image life is the key to a good mood Yoga will help you find peace and self-confidence You can get all the necessary knowledge at free courses for pregnant women, which are available in every antenatal clinic.

Stress Prevention

Quite ordinary life circumstances can become stressful for a pregnant woman. And if it is not always possible to ignore them, then it is worth trying to at least reduce the possible damage.

• Take a closer look at your surroundings. Perhaps there are people in it with whom it is better to abstain, at least for a while.
• Write down in a column those things that spoil your mood the most.. In the other column, on the contrary, write down your ideas on how you can reduce the harmful effects, and in the future try to follow this plan.
• Evaluate situations and people's actions calmly and rationally. A pregnant woman does not lose her ability to think or become incapacitated. Hormones play an important role, but the mind does not turn off.
• Control your emotions. Don't exaggerate and don't overindulge.

Remember! For 9 whole months, not only your own life, but also the fate of another person depends on your decisions.

Video "Stress during pregnancy"

Most people understand that a woman is very vulnerable while carrying a child. In a civilized society, there are certain traditions, for example, giving up a seat to pregnant women on transport or letting them skip the queue. However, stress factors are varied and cannot be avoided. To overcome stress, a woman must first set priorities and soberly assess any critical situation.

Pregnancy is a special period, accompanied by fireworks of emotions that are not always positive. Difficulties at work, problems in the family, bad tests... This list of reasons for worrying is different for every pregnant woman. And only a few can boast of composure and absolute “immunity” to stress. Severe nervous tension negatively affects not only the psycho-emotional state of a woman, but can also complicate the course of childbirth or affect the formation of the fetus. Let's figure out what the causes of stress during pregnancy are in order to take control of the situation in time, and how stress during pregnancy is dangerous for a woman and her baby.

When a woman says “I’m stressed!”, most likely she is upset, scared, or outraged about something. But this is not an accurate description of the term “stress” and is more typical of its one type - neuropsychic stress.

From a scientific point of view, stress is an emotional disturbance of a negative nature, which can be provoked by a variety of factors, for example, hunger, cold, photophobia or other phobias.

During pregnancy, short-term emotional stress is more common, which often resembles a storm of negative emotions. It rarely leads to systemic disorders during pregnancy and is manifested exclusively by bad mood.

Chronic stress or distress during pregnancy is more dangerous. This condition occurs against a background of prolonged nervous tension. Such “harmful” stress often disrupts the functioning of the entire body, affecting the hormonal levels, immune function and well-being of a pregnant woman.

Stress develops gradually. The first phase is the activation of the female body in response to overstrain of the nervous system. Then the second phase gradually begins - active resistance to the situation that has arisen. If stress drags on, the third phase begins - global exhaustion of the female body with subsequent complications. As a result, a woman may develop an infectious disease, worsen a chronic pathology, or develop a nervous disorder.

Stress during pregnancy - causes and development features

During the gestational period, stress follows a certain scenario. It leads to stimulation of hormonal processes, which leads to pathological synthesis of glucocorticoids and catecholamines. This leads to the destruction of glucose in the pregnant woman’s body and a short-term jump in blood sugar. The body immediately reacts to this by synthesizing excess insulin, which utilizes sugar, which provokes unscheduled heat formation. Then, to “rest”, the body reduces insulin production, which is often called transient functional type diabetes.

But the influence of nervous stress during pregnancy on a woman’s health does not end there. In conditions of insulin deficiency, the synthesis of sugars from amino acids starts. But their reserve in a woman’s body is limited, so to obtain energy, the body also begins to break down fats. The product of their breakdown is ketones, which cause general intoxication. As a result, the brain, muscle tissue, and heart suffer. Often this condition is accompanied by severe oxygen starvation.

Repeated repetition of such a stress algorithm leads to a decrease in thyroid function, disruption of the nervous system and immunity. Such disorders can affect the development of the fetus, so it is unwise to ignore frequently recurring stress.

What can cause severe stress during pregnancy? First of all, stress is triggered as a result of acute anxiety, the source of which can be:

• Fear for the baby. While he is quietly developing in the mother’s tummy, the woman is unable to somehow influence his well-being or find out if everything is okay. It is especially difficult for women who have experienced miscarriage and loss of a baby in the past.
• Fear of future motherhood. Mild anxiety when thinking about the upcoming meeting with the baby and his future upbringing often occurs in women. But sometimes this excitement develops into a real test for the female nervous system and it is impossible to avoid severe stress.
• Contact with the outside world. Endless tests and queues in medical institutions, nervous passengers on the subway, a rude saleswoman in a supermarket - this is just the tip of the iceberg of possible provocateurs of stress during pregnancy.
• Work misunderstandings. The teachings of a disgruntled manager and unfriendly colleagues are perfect conditions for chronic stress. And if we also take into account toxicosis, frequent delays due to regular examinations by a gynecologist and the inability to concentrate on work, then it becomes obvious that stress at work during pregnancy occurs very often.
• Shock situations. Pregnancy does not exclude tragic turns in life. Anything can happen: divorce, dismissal, death of relatives in an accident, unplanned move.
• Family environment. If the climate in the family is bad, conflicts often occur and misunderstandings are constantly present, there are uncomfortable living conditions, then emotional discomfort is guaranteed.

On a note! Excessive impressionability, suspiciousness and lack of support from loved ones only aggravate the impact of stress on pregnancy.

How to understand that you are stressed during pregnancy - symptoms

You can tell that a woman is stressed by her emotional outburst. However, some women experience stress silently and do not know it themselves.

The first signs of stress in a pregnant woman are considered to be:

• sleep disturbance (insomnia or, conversely, a constant desire to take a nap);
• obvious changes in appetite (refusal to eat or binge eating);
• inability to work fully (fatigue, memory loss, lethargy);
• groundless fears or worries;
• signs of depressive mood (apathy, feeling of hopelessness, detachment);
• panic attacks (fear of leaving the house, lack of air);
• deterioration of health (tachycardia, hypertension, dizziness, dyspepsia);
• obvious decrease in immunity.

Important! Such a complex of symptoms in a pregnant woman is a good reason to refer her to a psychologist.

How stress affects pregnancy

Minor physiological stress often occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and pregnancy companions such as vomiting, headache, and weakness. This often makes the woman nervous and emotionally tense, but there is no negative effect on the fetus. In other cases, when stress is caused by external stimuli, and the woman experiences a deep emotional shock, the consequences for her and her baby can be disastrous.

Stress during pregnancy: consequences for the child

The first weeks of pregnancy are decisive, so the best thing that loved ones can do is to protect the pregnant woman from stress. It can affect pregnancy and the baby in two ways:

• On the one hand, during the first few weeks the baby is still microscopically small and reliably protected from the influence of stress. “Stress” hormones do not enter the fertilized egg even after its implantation, since until the 10th week the placenta is not yet functioning, and there are no ways for them to enter the baby’s blood.
• On the other hand, the first trimester is the time of formation of organ inclinations. And the presence of stress during early pregnancy worsens the functioning of a woman’s hormonal system and metabolic processes. Therefore, it is very difficult to predict how this will affect embryonic development.

Interesting! American scientists who studied the nature of the development of autism made an interesting discovery. It turned out that women who carried a baby in conditions of constant stress had twice the risk of having an autistic baby than women who did not experience this condition.

Stress during pregnancy in the second trimester is no longer as dangerous for a woman as in the first. But in relation to the baby, everything changes exactly the opposite. For him, this period is very important, because the development of the organs and systems established in the first trimester is in full swing, and any negative factors can disrupt this process. Of course, the baby will not have any serious developmental abnormalities, but the following disorders may occur:

1. Hypoxia and complications after it. Under the influence of stress, uteroplacental blood flow is disrupted. If measures are not taken in time, the baby continues to develop in conditions of deficiency of oxygen and important substances. As a result, the newborn may experience neurological disorders, he may have too low weight, and poor Apgar scores.
2. The birth of a premature baby. Stress is like a catalyst for uterine hypertonicity. If a woman experiences a severe shock before the 22nd gestational week, she may experience a miscarriage, and if after this period, premature birth. A premature baby may have developmental delays or neurological disorders in the future.

On a note! Babies whose intrauterine development took place in a stressful environment are prone to provoking conflicts after birth and are often mentally unstable.

After the 28th gestational week, the mother’s stress does not affect the baby’s physical development. But the fetus is already able to empathize with the mother and also experiences a kind of stress. This condition often provokes such correctable disorders in the newborn as poor sleep, refusal to eat, frequent regurgitation, and increased muscle tone.

Stress during pregnancy: consequences for women

If stress in the early stages is not dangerous for a baby, then for a woman it can become a serious reason for grief:

1. Worsening of toxicosis. Even moderate stress can turn mild nausea into uncontrollable vomiting. Drowsiness, dehydration also occur, and blood counts deteriorate. This often causes hospitalization.
2. Hormonal imbalance. Hormones are the first to respond to stress. Depending on the condition of the female body, this may cause unsuccessful implantation of the embryo or improper consolidation ovum in the uterus. Often, a fertilized cell, without attaching to the endometrium, leaves the uterus along with menstrual blood.
3. Hypertonicity of the uterus. The connection between increased uterine tone and anxiety has long been established. Therefore, stress often causes the threat of miscarriage.
4. Freezing of the fetus. Very often, a frozen pregnancy occurs due to stress.

Advice! If you notice bloody discharge or abdominal pain after a nervous shock, consult a doctor immediately.

The second trimester of pregnancy is the most comfortable period for a woman. Toxicosis is already behind us, and the delights of the third trimester in the form of clumsiness have not yet arrived. Therefore, there are no external reasons for stress. Since the emotional state in this period is elevated, minor irritants are unlikely to provoke strong feelings. But if something really serious happens, the stress will be very active.

On a note! For women, stress during this period is not dangerous, which cannot be said about the baby. Therefore, if you cannot cope with nerves, ask your doctor to prescribe mild sedatives.

Stress in the third trimester of pregnancy is not dangerous for the baby, but a woman may experience one of the following complications:

1. Premature delivery. Female body is designed in such a way that if sharp fluctuations in hormones begin at this stage and the tone of the uterus increases, he may decide that it is time to give birth.
2. Weakness of labor. The natural birth process is complex and involves many mechanisms of the hormonal system. If a woman was under stressful conditions during pregnancy, the likelihood of insufficient labor activity increases. Often you have to resort to stimulation and even caesarean section.
3. Incorrect position of the baby. The tone of the uterus caused by stress does not allow the fetus to take the correct position before birth. In such a situation, the birth process is accompanied by complications, which increases the risk of birth injuries in the child. Sometimes natural childbirth becomes impossible.

How to cope with stress during pregnancy

If you realize that you are under a lot of stress, calm down. Concentrate on the thought that the most important thing at the moment is not the problem that has arisen, but the health of your baby. Think about who among your loved ones can help you pull yourself together and ask for help. If you have no one to rely on, consult a psychologist.

If you are able to curb your feelings on your own, you can use the following tips:

1. Conquer your fears. If the cause of stress is fear for the baby, tell the doctor about it and undergo additional examination, if necessary. If the reason is something else, try to solve it in a similar way.
2. Find a passion. A hobby will distract you from bad thoughts and give you a lot of positivity.
3. Learn to pamper yourself. If you want something sweet, allow yourself one of the most delicious desserts. If you want to ride on a swing, don’t stop, because there’s a baby living inside you.
4. Let go of the fear of labor pain. Although women hide it, they are absolutely afraid of this pain. You need to come to terms with this, don’t stress yourself out and undermine your baby’s health with your stress.
5. Don't hide your pregnancy. Often women in the early stages do not advertise their position, and silently endure frequent reprimands from their boss for being late or poor performance. Tell him that you are pregnant, and he will understand your situation. This way there will be at least one less stress in the first trimester of pregnancy.
6. Voice all your desires. Pregnancy is a time of whims and strange desires, so take advantage of this moment.

Take care of your pregnancy and don’t let stress harm your beloved baby. Tune in to the positive and get maximum pleasure, because pregnancy ends very quickly. And remember that the birth process, the health of your baby, and future lactation depend on your peace of mind.

Video “Stress and nerves during pregnancy”

Stress is the body’s reaction to the influence of various unfavorable factors (physical or psychological). Being short-term, it does not pose a threat and helps to adapt to circumstances, but if this condition is prolonged, negative consequences inevitably occur. Stress is especially dangerous in the early stages of pregnancy, as well as throughout the rest of the period of bearing a child.

Increased psycho-emotional stress to which the expectant mother is exposed can cause many complications regarding the health of the woman and the fetus. Therefore, all pregnant women should learn to protect themselves from stress, recognize its signs in time and take the necessary measures.

Most people find themselves in stressful situations every day. As a result, one gets used to this state of affairs and the person stops paying attention to it.

You can understand that the situation has become critical by a number of symptoms indicating constant stress:

• apathy, lethargy;
• decreased performance;
• difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep;
• attacks of tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
• lack of appetite;
• dizziness, tremor of limbs;
• increased blood pressure;
• decreased immunity (frequent and prolonged colds).

Some people have atypical reactions to stress. For example, sudden headaches, causeless discomfort in the abdomen, itchy skin, and a feeling of shortness of breath appear.

Causes

There can be many causes of stress, they depend on life circumstances and a person’s perception. What is quite normal for some expectant mothers and does not cause psychological discomfort, becomes a problem for others.

Sometimes a stressful situation arises even due to weather conditions (extreme heat, cold, rain). The reason may also be a change of place of residence, a change in daily routine, hunger, or excessive physical activity.

Often stress is associated with the state of pregnancy itself. The points that most often concern expectant mothers include:

1. Physiological changes. Weight gain, the appearance of stretch marks, the fear of spoiling your figure and losing your attractiveness can put many people in a state of stress. It is important to remember that it is temporary and reversible.
2. Fear of childbirth. The process of giving birth to a child is shrouded in many myths and speculations, in which it is the quintessence of danger and pain. Of course, this does not contribute to the positive attitude of the expectant mother.
3. Excitement about the child. While waiting for a baby, especially if the pregnancy is complicated, a woman worries about him, fearing miscarriage, premature birth, possible congenital pathologies and abnormalities in fetal development. All this can cause prolonged stress.
4. Family problems. During pregnancy, cooling sometimes occurs between spouses. A woman may feel that her husband does not understand her and does not fully support her. Added to this are the experiences associated with a rapid change in lifestyle. Such problems are more common for couples expecting their first child.
5. Financial difficulties. If the family has a small income, the costs associated with the upcoming addition may overshadow the joy of the future parents.
6. Conflicts and difficulties at work. Since most women are forced to work until the 30th week of pregnancy, solving work problems and communicating with the team can be a burden for the expectant mother. After all, as the belly grows, it becomes more and more difficult to cope with work, and the nervous system becomes more vulnerable.

In addition to the usual negative factors, unforeseen circumstances are possible. The death of a loved one, a break in a relationship with a spouse, an accident or accident can cause severe stress during pregnancy, which has dire consequences.

Danger

It was found that in response to stress, the human body produces special hormones - glucocorticoids. The result of a frequent increase in their concentration in the blood of a pregnant woman can be pathologies of the placenta and impaired development of the child.

The likelihood of these and other negative consequences occurring is not one hundred percent. In many ways, the danger of stress experienced by a woman for the fetus depends on the gestational age.

In the early stages

In the first trimester of pregnancy, when the formation of the baby’s organs and nervous system occurs, strong experiences are especially undesirable. This can lead to miscarriage or the formation of maxillofacial anomalies of the fetus (cleft of the soft and hard palate).

Also, as a result of the stress experienced by the expectant mother, the child’s risk of developing schizophrenia in the future increases, and the immune system suffers. Possible dysfunction of the placenta, lag intrauterine development fetus due to hypoxia.

In the later stages

If a woman experiences stress in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the child has a tendency to become hyperactive. On later sometimes the fetus is repeatedly entwined with the umbilical cord, due to its active movements during the psycho-emotional stress of the mother.

A pregnant woman has an increased risk of developing diabetes. Against the backdrop of constant stress, complicated, protracted labor or premature birth of a child is possible.

How to avoid?

To maintain her health and protect her baby, the expectant mother should try to avoid stressful situations. For example, stop communicating with people you dislike and provoke conflicts. If it is impossible to eliminate stress factors, you need to try to change your attitude towards the situation.

Make a list of the reasons that cause psycho-emotional stress, write down next to it ideas on how you can reduce their impact and follow this plan. When you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, do not forget about self-control and do not exaggerate the importance of what is happening.

The following will also help increase stress resistance:

• walks in the open air;
• good sleep;
• a balanced diet, including plenty of vegetables and fruits;
• lungs physical exercise if there are no contraindications (swimming, yoga for pregnant women);
• communication with friends and people you like;
• making time for hobbies or extra rest.

Aromatherapy and meditation help some pregnant women relax. Whatever you do, a positive attitude is important. Remember that during 9 months you are responsible not only for yourself and you have the power to create comfortable conditions for your baby’s development.

What to do when stressed?

According to experts, the worst thing you can do is keep negative emotions to yourself. Therefore, if you cannot avoid stress, you need to learn to cope with it correctly.

You can relieve nervous tension in the following ways:

1. Take several slow, deep breaths in and out. Focus on breathing and imagine how oxygen flows to the baby, stroke the belly with light massaging movements.
2. Listen to music for relaxation. To do this, you can create a special collection of pleasant, calm melodies.
3. If you are at home, take a warm bath with aromatic oils.

It will be easier to get through an unpleasant situation if you talk it out, discussing it with a loved one - husband, mother, friend. It is also useful to attend relaxing massage sessions if there are no medical contraindications to this. It is recommended to read light books, such as women's novels, and watch only positive films.

Sleep plays an important role in the fight against chronic stress - pregnant women need to sleep at least 9 hours a day. If you have difficulty falling asleep due to nervous tension, you may need to take some sedatives herbal based, such as tincture or. The dosage and duration of their use should be discussed with your doctor.

If all of the above does not help, do not be afraid to seek qualified help. In difficult situations, when it is impossible to find support among loved ones, good results It helps to work through the problem with a psychologist.

Consequences

Stress allows you to mobilize the body's strength for a short time, due to the production of a number of hormones by the endocrine glands. At the same time, the heart rate increases, blood pressure increases, and increased sweating occurs. But after a period of resistance to negative influences, the stage of exhaustion begins.

Such overloads damage the nervous and immune systems. The number of T-lymphocytes responsible for fighting viruses and infections decreases, which increases the likelihood of prolonged and complicated colds. With chronic exposure to stress, these changes become permanent. Against this background, exacerbation of chronic diseases and even the development of oncological processes is possible.

Increased psycho-emotional stress is undesirable for any person, but the pregnant body is especially susceptible to its influence. Loss of strength, attacks, complicated colds, the risk of developing late toxicosis - all this threatens the expectant mother, who often experiences negative emotions. The consequences of stress during pregnancy also affect the child, causing deviations in his physical and emotional development.

A woman preparing to become a mother must be aware of her responsibility for the life of her baby. By avoiding stress during pregnancy and getting rid of unnecessary worries in a timely manner, you will protect your baby and maintain your health.

Useful video: how to cope with stress during pregnancy

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Stress during pregnancy can be caused by both external and internal factors. From the first days of pregnancy, a complete restructuring begins in the body. At the beginning of pregnancy, nausea may begin, later they become bothersome frequent urge urination, constipation, heartburn, digestive system upset, poor or vice versa, increased appetite, dizziness, etc. In each specific case, everything goes individually, some women do not feel anything like this throughout their pregnancy, others suffer from all the symptoms at once, others are only tormented some of them. A poor physical condition is often accompanied by a psychological one. Pregnant women, and at the same time those around them, are tormented by frequent mood swings, tearfulness, irritability, resentment, increased anxiety, vague fears, etc. In the second trimester, gums may begin to bleed, cause headaches, runny nose, and mild swelling.

The very state of pregnancy causes a woman a little stress, primarily from changes in hormonal levels. During this period, a woman is preparing to become a mother, which completely changes her previous lifestyle - and this is also a kind of stress. Added to this are problems at work or in family life, the woman begins to worry greatly about her future and the future of her baby. Closer to childbirth, a woman is haunted by fear of this process, especially if the child is the first and the pregnancy did not go very well. Stress in small doses is even beneficial, both for the mother and for the baby. But if this condition haunts a pregnant woman for a very long time and manifests itself quite strongly, in this case it is worth seeking help from a specialist, because the negative consequences of stress can seriously affect the mental health of the child.

By about the fifth month, the woman’s physical condition returns to normal, she is not bothered by morning sickness, frequent headaches disappear, she is less likely to get irritated over trifles, and she is happy in the knowledge that she has a little life inside her. But over time, the woman feels nagging pain in the lower abdomen, this happens because the ligaments that support the abdominal press become tense. She becomes more and more absent-minded, more tired, and closer to childbirth a feeling of fear of this process appears, especially in firstborns.

All these conditions cause some stress in the pregnant woman's body, but not in the usual sense. Such shallow experiences do not affect the health of the future person; moreover, with minor negative emotions, the hormone cortisol appears in the human body. This hormone, in reasonable doses, is necessary for the child to develop properly. And with severe stress, too much cortisol enters the body of the mother, and, consequently, the child, which, according to experts, can lead to congenital pathologies.

Severe stress during pregnancy

If a woman experiences severe stress during pregnancy, her chances of giving birth to an autistic child are doubled (an autist is a person with a mental disorder, which is characterized by immersion in the personal world; such people have a greatly weakened connection with the outside world, they lose interest to reality, there is no desire for communication, they have very poor emotional expression).

Such conclusions were made by American scientists who conducted an experiment involving five hundred pregnant women. During the experiment, specialists assessed stress by the strength of its impact. As it turned out, women in whose group the stressful situations were stronger than others were 2 times more likely to have children who were subsequently diagnosed with autism.

Severe stress, according to doctors, is moving to a new place of residence, bereavement of loved ones, loss of work, conflicts with relatives, etc. It is especially dangerous if a woman has been subjected to severe stress from the 24th to the 28th week of pregnancy, since during this period the mother’s nervous overstrain can greatly affect the baby’s brain.

As a result of the research, it turned out that the appearance of autism is associated not only with genetic abnormalities, as previously assumed, but is largely due to negative environmental factors, in particular, the psycho-emotional state of the mother during pregnancy.

Nervous stress during pregnancy

Nervous stress during pregnancy is accompanied by every woman. Even in those moments when she is absolutely happy, a woman endures heavy mental stress. Any external irritant, which is conventionally divided into physical and mental, can lead to severe psychological shock. The physical source of stress is characterized by constant impact on the pregnant woman’s body - heat or cold, thirst or hunger, heavy physical activity. Physical stress is possible due to poor diet, insufficient sleep, decreased motor activity. With psychological sources of stress, emotional overstrain is observed; this state can be provoked by a lie from a loved one, resentment, as well as situations where there is a threat to personal relationships (for example, with a husband), social status, or financial condition. Also, lack of time can lead to psychological stress, when you feel responsible, but there is no time to think about a decision. Moreover, the source of stress here is precisely the person’s attitude to the situation.

Stressful loads accompany a woman throughout pregnancy. The main sources of stress here are natural changes, pregnancy that was not part of the plans, thoughts about how to live further, about the child’s health, and fear of childbirth. Experiences are usually associated with the news of pregnancy, the need to attend a consultation, communicate with doctors, conflict situations in the family or at work.

Stress during pregnancy has a very strong effect on the nervous system of the unborn child. As a result of the mother's frequent nervous shocks during pregnancy, children grow up more nervous, restless, and find it harder to adapt to the world around them. Children whose pregnant mothers suffered from husband cruelty showed lower intellectual development than their peers who developed in calm conditions. Scientists have found that the reason for this is the hormone cortisol - the higher its level in the mother’s blood, and accordingly in the amniotic fluid, the higher the risk of developing developmental delays. Approximately 15% of children who exhibit anxiety, attention deficit, and delays in the development of psychomotor functions have become victims of a severe nervous shock suffered by the mother during the period of intrauterine development. The most dangerous thing for an expectant mother is stress in which she is subjected to cruel treatment, in which case the risk of hyperactivity syndrome doubles. If it were possible to reduce the mother's stress during pregnancy in a timely manner, the development of hundreds of thousands of severe psychological and neurological disorders in children could be avoided.

Experts say that stress and negativity cannot be kept to yourself; you must get rid of it. Sometimes you need to talk it out to make it easier. Nervous stress can be eased by having a fun and relaxed time. If positive dynamics are not observed, you should definitely consult a doctor, and you may need the help of a qualified specialist. It is necessary to understand the source of the stressful situation and eliminate it from your life as completely as possible.

Sleep is the most the best remedy to treat stress, nervous tension and anxiety can arise from lack of sleep. Therefore, you need to rest more. If you have a hard time falling asleep, you need to do an interesting active activity (to the best of your ability), then the body, tired during the day, will more quickly relax and rest. You can take a warm bath before bed. Activity to some extent helps to get rid of nervous tension, so you can consult your doctor about special exercises or gymnastics for pregnant women. There are many hobbies that will help you forget unpleasant moments and distract yourself - cooking, walking, photography, reading, etc. During pregnancy, the main thing is to see only positive sides, if possible, avoid stressful situations and set yourself up for the best.

Constant stress during pregnancy

Prolonged stress during pregnancy negatively affects both the health of the expectant mother and the health of her child. Strong and prolonged nervous shock exhausts the body of a pregnant woman, she becomes apathetic, lethargic, suffers from insomnia, anxiety causes trembling in the body, rapid heartbeat. Severe stress can cause skin rashes, headaches, and body aches. With such stress, various pregnancy complications are possible. A woman may suffer from increased toxicosis, worsening chronic diseases, the newborn may have birth defects development.

In addition, constant nervous tension negatively affects the immune system, which is already greatly weakened during pregnancy. The body's weak defenses cannot cope with viruses entering the body, so the woman is in a constant painful state. A severe physical condition is aggravated by an even more severe mental one - complete dissatisfaction, apathy, irritability. But no matter how hard it is for a woman, at this moment it is even harder for a person who has not yet been born, and if a woman does not come to her senses in time and does not bring her mental condition back to normal, this little man may never know what life is.

Constant stress during pregnancy has very serious consequences, which is why you need to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The best option During pregnancy, you will learn to avoid such nervous shocks. A pregnant woman should think more about pleasant things, she should be able (or learn) to relax; perhaps, it would not be a bad idea to attend special yoga courses for pregnant women. All existing problems should not be kept to yourself; they should be expressed immediately and discussed in a calm atmosphere with loved ones. If you want to cry, cry, if you laugh, laugh, you should never be ashamed of your own feelings, this especially applies to pregnant women, for whom a good emotional state is extremely important. Your motto during this period should be “movement is life.” Try to walk as often as possible; swimming is very beneficial for pregnant women. As you know, sleep cures all diseases, stress being one of them. If you don't get enough sleep, then stress is guaranteed.

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Consequences of stress during pregnancy

Stress helps reduce the body's defenses. If a person is exposed to frequent stressful conditions, he is more susceptible to infectious diseases, and this is extremely harmful for a pregnant woman. But stress during pregnancy is a fairly common condition, unfortunately. If the state of stress is not deep and passes relatively quickly, then there is nothing dangerous about it. Such mild and short-lived conditions, as if training the woman’s body before childbirth, strengthen the baby’s nervous system while still in the tummy.

The situation is different with a prolonged, severe state of stress during pregnancy. This condition is harmful to both the woman herself and her unborn child. A long depressed state depletes vitality. The woman becomes lethargic, sleepy, and suffers from insomnia at night. The baby will have the same condition when he is born if the mother does not find the strength to overcome this difficult condition.

Stress during pregnancy has serious consequences: severe anxiety, which can occur even without serious reasons, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), trembling in the hands, in the chest, dizziness, headaches, rash (manifests in especially sensitive women). Toxicosis manifests itself much more severely, as a result of a woman’s weakened immune system, which threatens developmental pathologies in the child.

The child's central nervous system is especially affected. If a pregnant woman was constantly in under stress, her child's nervous system will be extremely vulnerable. Even at a conscious age, it will be very difficult for a child to adapt to the world around him; he will be very restless, nervous, and anxious. Such children are more susceptible to various fears than their peers. Allergies and asthma are one of the consequences of a mother’s stressful state during pregnancy, and this can be a consequence of both long-term stress and a short, but strong and frequent stressful state. If a way could be found to reduce stress, many children would not suffer from severe psychological and neurological disorders. If a mother has experienced severe nervous tension in the first three months of pregnancy, then her child may develop schizophrenia over time, since it is during this period that the baby’s nervous system is formed. The chances of developing schizophrenia in this case are approximately 70%. Experts are clear in their conclusions: external psychological factors have a direct impact on the processes of formation of the nervous system even in the early stages of human development.

Every pregnant woman noticed that when experiencing anxiety, the baby began to move actively. There is a simple explanation for this - if the mother is in an anxious state, the child does not have enough oxygen and with his movements he seems to begin to massage the placenta in order to obtain blood with the necessary elements.

A child whose mother was often nervous during pregnancy will suffer from enuresis and diabetes in the future. Also, autism is one of the consequences of severe nervous tension of the mother during pregnancy.

If the mother is severely nervous, her body can independently get rid of a weak male fetus, i.e. this may lead to miscarriage. By the way, but for unknown reasons, the body does not get rid of the female fetus. It is also interesting that boys who were born when their mother was under severe stress live much longer than those who were born into this world under favorable conditions.

Fetal malformation, popularly referred to as “cleft lip” or “cleft palate,” has been observed among women who were under prolonged stress during pregnancy. The risk of developing malformation in women under constant nervous tension is 2 times higher than in those who were calmer during pregnancy. Severely anxious women run the risk of giving birth prematurely; in this case, the baby's weight will be much lower than normal and the chances of survival for such children are very low. If such children survive, then they experience deformation of all body functions, so such children are prone to frequent illnesses.

Conflict situations in the family can lead to mental and emotional inhibition in the child. Also, frequent quarrels in the family can provoke premature birth or miscarriage. Constant stress leads to a long delivery, during which the child may die. Poor sleep, dissatisfaction with oneself, and severe fatigue lead to premature and rapid labor.

Stress during pregnancy is a condition that needs to be addressed urgently. A woman must first of all think about the health of her baby, whose life now completely depends on her, taking into account not only a strong physical condition, but also a balanced emotional and mental state. A woman must remember that any anxious state of hers cuts off oxygen to her child, he literally begins to suffocate. It is for this reason that when his mother is nervous, he begins to actively move to show her how bad he is now.

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