Stress (prenatal and perinatal)

Topic Editor: Vivette Glover, MA, PhD, DSc, Imperial College London, United Kingdom

Stress is a complex term that encompasses a large number of states such as mild stress, distress, anxiety and depression that can be experienced as a result of a range of phenomena including daily hassles, dysfunctional relationships, and adversity.

There is a consistent belief across cultures that maternal stress can have a negative effect on the development of the fetus, baby, and child. This is particularly important given the high levels of daily stress reported by women of childbearing age. For instance, of Canadian women between the ages of 20 and 34 in 2010, 25.4% sustain intense daily stress, compared with 20.5% for their male counterparts.¹ It is no surprise that programs focused on stress and coping programs have been at the major front of international efforts to promote mental health across countries.²

Working during pregnancy may have an impact on the level of stress (self-perceived or objectively assessed). The risk or premature birth labour is 70% higher among pregnant women who work in a stressful or noisy environment than other women.³ In 2008, the international rate of maternal employment for women between the ages of 25 and 49 was approximately 61%, with the highest rates observed in Scandinavian and North-American countries, and once children reach school age.⁴

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See also...

• What do we know?
• What can be done?
• According to experts