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Effects of psychologic stress on fetal development and pregnancy outcome

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Abstract

Data from animal studies show that maternal stress is associated with disturbances in pregnancy outcomes and offspring development and behavior, possibly as a result of permanent structural and functional changes termed "early-life programming." There is growing interest in whether similar relationships are present in humans. Here we review recent significant findings from the literature on the impact of prenatal psychologic stressors on pregnancy outcome and offspring development, with a particular focus on the developing brain. Relevant papers were searched using PubMed, and reference lists from obtained articles were checked. In humans, prenatal stress is associated with pregnancy complications, developmental, cognitive, and behavioral disorders, and possible onset of psychopathology in later life. In contrast to the available research done in animals, virtually nothing is known about the effects of prenatal stress on morphologic fetal brain development, and the mechanisms underlying subsequent associated behavioral changes.

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  1. MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, P.O. Box 19063, 7505, Cape Town, South Africa

    B. Vythilingum FCPsych (SA), Mmed Psych

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  1. D. Koubovec MSc, PhD
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  2. L. Geerts MRCOG
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  3. H. J. Odendaal MB, ChB, FCOG (SA), FRCOG, MD
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  4. Dan J. Stein MD, PhD
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  5. B. Vythilingum FCPsych (SA), Mmed Psych
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Koubovec, D., Geerts, L., Odendaal, H.J. et al. Effects of psychologic stress on fetal development and pregnancy outcome. Curr Psychiatry Rep 7, 274–280 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-005-0081-9

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