Stress during pregnancy may cause depression in female offsprings

High maternal levels of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy can increase feelings of anxiousness and depression in female off springs at the tender age of 2, a new study reveals.

The findings emphasize the significance of prenatal conditions for susceptibility of later mental health problems in off springs. The effect of high maternal cortisol hormone on the negative offspring behavior appeared to result from patterns of stronger communication between brain regions important for sensory and emotional processing.

However, male off springs of mothers with high cortisol during pregnancy did not demonstrate the stronger brain connectivity or a connection between maternal cortisol and mood symptoms.

"This study measured maternal cortisol during pregnancy in a more comprehensive manner than prior research", said study author, Alice Graham.

To estimate the overall cortisol level during pregnancy, Senior author, Claudia Buss and colleagues, measured cortisol levels over multiple days in early, mid and late pregnancy. Measurements taken from the 70 mothers reflected typical variation in maternal cortisol levels.

Article Source >> BS