Women who plan on getting pregnant should first adopt a more peaceful state of mind. A new study found that habitual stress before pregnancy can lead to lower birth weight in babies.
A research group at the University of California in Los Angeles sought to explain how chronic stress affects parents and their newborns. They discovered that women whose cortisol levels did not decline throughout the day were more likely to conceive lower-weight babies, Psych Central reported.
According to Mayo Clinic, cortisol is the main stress hormone. Once it is released by the body, it distorts normal bodily functions. Some of its devious deeds include altering immune system responses and suppressing both the digestive and reproductive system.
Normally, cortisol levels are high in the morning and then decline as the day progresses. The new study showed that majority of lower-weight babies came from mothers whose high cortisol levels remained the same throughout the day.
Cortisol levels usually increase two to four times during pregnancy. However, excessive amounts of cortisol could have harmful effects on both the mother and her child.
Dr. Chris Dunkel Schetter noted that high levels of cortisol mean less blood flow to the fetus, depriving the child of much-needed oxygen and nutrients. She said women who want to get pregnant should first map out a healthy and comprehensive pregnancy plan.
"Women should treat depression, evaluate and treat stress, be sure they are in a healthy relationship, be physically active, stop smoking and gather family support," Schetter urged. "All of the things that create an optimal pregnancy and healthy life for the mother should be done before getting pregnant."
As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300,000 babies were born with low birth weight in 2014. That's 8 percent of the total number of babies born in the country that year.
