If you are still working even though you are 17 weeks pregnant, chances are, you might get stress out easily. Studies have shown that maternal stress during pregnancy can be detrimental to your baby and your body. High amount of stress can lead to complicated pregnancies or preterm labor. Stress has also been linked to the overproduction of a hormone called CRH (or Corticotropin-releasing hormone). This hormone stimulates the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins lead to contractions which increases the chances of preterm labor. In addition, recent esearches have shown that babies developing within a highly stressful environment (ie stressful mother) would be born with a greater risk of stress-related illnesses. You should do everything you can to calm yourself and maintain stress-free during pregnancy for both the safety of your baby and you. Symptoms of stress and anxiety include headaches, erratic behavior, insomnia etc. Be sure to communicate openly with your partner or family to reduce the anxiety effects. Talk to them about what you are going through and discuss about your worries and fears with them. Remember, you are not alone in dealing with pregnancy stress and anxiety. Whenever you feel overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, remember to take deep breaths and calm down. In the next post I will share some of the ways and techniques to help pregnant mothers deal with stress.
