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Women might not find depression and stress associated with pregnancy any entertaining. But did you know that maternal depression and stress owing to pregnancy is good for your baby? Recent studies have found babies, when exposed to pregnancy stress and depression in the womb, may develop a few defence mechanisms. This could build their resilience to face the adversities and challenges in the future. The finding was published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
The study was carried out at the University of Basel in Switzerland in association with several international researchers. One hundred mothers and their young ones were examined during and post pregnancy.
They drew cord blood from 39 newborns for assessment and also assessed cortisol – the stress hormone, derived from the samples of saliva of the mothers. This apart, they evaluated the stressful events in the lives of these mothers alongside their mental health through questionnaires.
They found that high concentrations of stress hormones related to maternity, symptoms of depression and anticipated adversities during pregnancy brought about epigenetic transformations in the baby. As such, the oxytocin receptor gene that is essential for social behavior and adapting to stress is stimulated with ease, suggest the researchers.
The mechanism could be an indicator that in cases such as these, the babies could develop better resilience to face the difficulties and challenges of the future.
The methyl groups, which are attached to the DNA and function as a switch, determine whether a gene can be activated or not. Researchers observed that children born to mothers with heightened symptoms of depression or stress display a reduced methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene at birth. This way the gene is activated easily and leads to catalyzed production of the receptors for oxytocin to react with and unravel its effects, suggest researchers.
It is known that oxytocin serves in promoting the bonding between mother and child and also induces labor and lactation. Interestingly, oxytocin also influences a child’s social behavior.
Past studies have proven that mental pressure during pregnancy can put a child at the risk of diseases and psychological disorders. However, the protective mechanisms that come through the difficulties during pregnancy were not studied at length before.
Gunther Meinlschmidt from the University of Basel says that the studies made so far give the first evidence that an inconducive envrionment at the time of pregnancy can activate defense mechanisms. He adds that a comprehensive understanding of the psychological processes that facilitate us to keep up long-lasting health through generations despite adversities, is needed. It could form the basis for building resilience to prevent physical illnesses or mental disorders.
Meinlschmidt added that we need an exhaustive understanding of psychological mechanism that facilitates human’s long-term health sustenance even through generations of adversities. This could form the basis to understand how the process of resilience is promoted to prevent the development of physical illnesses and mental disorders.
