Q&A WITH ZITA WEST

Q&A

with fertility expert Zita West

How will stress affect my unborn baby?

Pregnancy is one of the most challenging experiences is a woman’s life, and some stress is inevitable. If it’s prolonged, it can aect both you and your baby, so it’s important that you understand what causes it and how to cope with it. HOW THE BRAIN REACTS TO STRESS Depending in the stress or stressors, the pituitary gland in the brain and the adrenal glands, which sit at the top of the kidneys, determine the amount of the stress hormone cortisol to release.

Research has shown that having high levels of cortisol in an expectant mother’s body over a long period of time is detrimental to the developing baby and it can cross the placenta. Unborn babies who are repeatedly exposed to high levels of stress chemicals have their own stress response system distorted, so that it becomes unable to regulate itself. Therefore, the baby, child and later the adult will overreact to stress, and her response to quite minor stressors may be overwhelming fear, anxiety or rage.

From as early as the seventh week of pregnancy, your baby may be receiving pleasureRecommended product inducing chemicals from your blood stream – but if you’re unduly stressed, she may be getting high levels of stress chemicals, so learning to control stress early in your pregnancy will not only help you get through the nine months with ease, but will give you vital tools for the years of parenting to come. HOW YOUR BODY RESPONDS In a stressful situation, the brain sends a signal to the adrenals to produce adrenalin and cortisol. These compounds increase your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing, and raise your blood sugar levels, preparing your body for a ‘fight or flight’ predicament. This reaction is perfectly normal when it happens occasionally, but if you become stuck in a more continuous stress response, the reaction can become chronic. The constant presence of cortisol in your body also uses up B vitamins, so you can easily

become depleted of these vital nutrients.

EFFECTS OF STRESS ON YOUR BABY Your developing unborn baby is particularly susceptible to stress Guided Relaxation Download for During Pregnancy £9.95, zitawest.com

chemicals and hormones from the mother in the third trimester when her brain is developing rapidly. A certain level of cortisol is good for the baby, with levels naturally rising towards the end of pregnancy to help her organs, such as the lungs, to mature. However, if the levels are continually high, your baby will be in an anxious state, her own levels of the stress hormone will rise and it may not only influence her response to stress, but also aect her cognitive function.

MANAGE YOUR MIND Identify the major stresses in your life: • Which area of your life do you most need to change? • Think about who can help and support you. • How can you change your reaction to a problem? • Implement changes: 20 minutes a day of sitting quietly, visualising or meditating will help and if you practise it regularly it will give you a greater sense of control. • Improve your breathing. • Try some gently exercise. • Protect yourself, where possible, from stressful situations (and people who make you feel anxious). • Nourish and nurture yourself.

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