Current research recommends that high stress levels in anticipated moms during the last stages of pregnancy could probably lower IQ scores in young boys.
Lower IQ for Boys Likely Resulted from Mom's Stress During Pregnancy
Researchers from Odense University Hospital in Denmark found that heightened levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the third trimester might have a lasting influence particularly on the cognitive intelligence of boys at the age of seven, but not on girls.
These findings emphasize the important role cortisol plays in the prenatal development of both genders separately. Cortisol, important for fetal growth, is a steroid hormone aiding the body's response to stress and is believed to impact children's cognitive function later in life.
During gestation, cortisol levels increased, with women carrying girls generally displaying increased cortisol secretion compared to those carrying boys.
Cortisone, a dormant form of cortisol, is managed in the placenta by an enzyme called 11β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), which changes cortisol to cortisone, thereby regulating the amount of cortisol reaching the fetus.
The study involved analyzing data from 943 childbearing women regarding their cortisol and cortisone levels in the third trimester and later conducting IQ tests on their children at the age of seven.
Results signify that boys exposed to higher levels of cortisol in utero indicate lower IQ scores at age seven.
Conversely, girls showed better IQ scores when their mothers had higher levels of cortisone in their urine, suggesting that boys might be less shielded by the enzyme 11β-HSD2 and thus more exposed to cortisol.
Lead author Dr. Anja Fenger Dreyer revealed the findings of the study that girls may benefit from the protective effects of placental 11β-HSD2 activity, whereas boys may be more susceptible to maternal cortisol exposure during pregnancy.
Transient Effect of Stress During Pregnancy on Children's Cognitive Development
Dr. Fenger Dreyer further explained, "While a prior study indicated a positive correlation between prenatal cortisol exposure and language development, our current findings suggest a negative association between prenatal cortisol exposure, either directly through serum cortisol or indirectly through urine cortisone, and IQ scores. This implies that elevated prenatal cortisol levels may have a temporary impact on cognitive development in children."
The entire data of the study was presented at the 26th European Congress of Endocrinology in Stockholm. In this earlier study, boys whose moms encountered elevated stress levels were able to utter more words between the ages of 12 and 37 months, while girls indicated better comprehension of additional words at 12 to 21 months of age.
Lead author Dr. Fenger Dreyer commented: "Although our previous study indicated a positive link between prenatal cortisol exposure and language development, in this study, prenatal cortisol exposure is negatively associated with IQ scores."
"This suggests that elevated prenatal exposure may have a temporary impact on a child's cognitive development. Additionally, it's worth noting that while parent-reported vocabulary was used in our prior study, child IQ in this study was evaluated by trained psychologists," Fenger Dreyer added.
Separate studies have also disclosed that infants exposed to high cortisol levels are more likely to develop behavioral concerns and stress-related illnesses later in life. Additionally, experts have formerly recommended that women encountering stress at the time of conception are twice as likely to conceive a girl.
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