Stress during pregnancy may affect baby’s sex

Pregnant women experiencing physical and psychological stress are less likely to have a boy, says a new study.

“Stress can also affect the mother’s immune system, leading to changes that affect neurological and behavioural development in the foetus,” said the study leader.

“What’s clear from our study is that maternal mental health matters, not only for the mother but also for her future child,” the researcher said.

For the findings,  the research team examined 27 indicators of psychosocial, physical and lifestyle stress collected from questionnaires, diaries, and daily physical assessments of 187 otherwise healthy pregnant women, aged between 18 to 45.

About 17 per cent of the women were psychologically stressed, with clinically meaningful high levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. 

Another 16 per cent were physically stressed, with relatively higher daily blood pressure and greater caloric intake compared with other healthy pregnant women.
The majority (nearly 125) were healthy.

The study suggested that pregnant women experiencing physical and psychological stress are less likely to have a boy. 

The sex ratio in the physically and psychologically stressed groups favoured girls, with male-to-female ratios of 4:9 and 2:3, respectively.

According to the researchers, physically stressed mothers, with higher blood pressure and caloric intake, were more likely to give birth prematurely than unstressed mothers.

Psychologically stressed mothers had more birth complications than physically stressed mothers, the study said.

An estimated 30 per cent of pregnant women report psychosocial stress from job strain or related to depression and anxiety. 

Such stress has been associated with increased risk of premature birth, which is linked to higher rates of infant mortality and of physical and mental disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety, among offspring.

When social support was statistically equalised across the groups, the stress effects on pre-term birth disappeared, the study added. 

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High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: Is It Normal? Know Types And Possible Risks

High blood pressure or hypertension can affect pregnant women as well. A pregnant woman has to be very careful about various health conditions to ensure good health of the unborn child. Similarly, during pregnancy you have to be very careful about your blood pressure numbers. In most cases, it does not affect the mother and the child but it should not be ignored. If left untreated it may cause some complication for the baby and the mother both. Therefore you need to keep a constant check on your blood pressure numbers constantly so that you can control hypertension to avoid any kind of complication.

Dr. explains "The risk of Pregnancy-induced Hypertension (PIH) is majorly seen to rise with age of the women. In majority of the cases, PIH is seen these days due to a change in the lifestyle of women. Work Pressure, late pregnancy, age, stress and more are some possible reasons behind this. Though it doesn't always cause trouble, it is better to be careful and not let PIH cause risks to the pregnancy as in one of the cases I handled recently, where, extreme hypertension resulted into pre-mature delivery of the feotus, landing it into a life risk. During pregnancy, a woman may face several health complications and PIH is one of those. It is not like any other normal situation and women should never under any condition take a hypertension medicine without consulting an expert."

Hypertension: Types of high blood pressure condition during pregnancy

High blood pressure during pregnancy can be divided into three different parts based on the condition and the week of the pregnancy. These three categories are-

1. Chronic hypertension

This type usually occurs during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. It usually does not have any symptom and can be controlled easily. You can check with your doctor to control it at the right time.

2. Gestational hypertension

This usually happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In most cases, it becomes normal after delivering the child. But in some cases, it can increase the risk of preeclampsia.

3. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is quite complicated. It can be dangerous for the mother and her baby if not treated on time. It usually happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Preeclampsia can be diagnosed on time and treatment can be given accordingly.

What are the complications associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Pregnancy-related high blood pressure is associated with many risks; some of them can be-
1. Injury to different organs- High blood pressure if not controlled on time can cause harm to other organs like brain, heart, lungs, kidneys or liver.
2. Premature delivery- In some cases due to high blood pressure early delivery is required to prevent any kind of complication.
3. Increases the risk of heart diseases- High blood pressure while you are pregnant can increase your risk of heart diseases in the future.
4. Low birth weight- There is a possibility of restricted flow of blood and oxygen to the baby which can lead to low birth weight or slow growth of the baby.

High blood pressure during pregnancy usually does not have any ill-effect but you must get your blood pressure numbers checked regularly. If your blood pressure is high, get it treated on time and do not take any medicine without your doctor's consultation.
 

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
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