Maternal Stress & The Fetal Brain

Dr. Chapa’s Clinical Pearls.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the United States, affecting nearly 1 in 5 adults, or 40 million people. Another 19 million adults – 8% of the population – has depression. Prenatal mood disturbances are known to affect the fetal brain, and endocrine system. Left amygdalar volumes were smaller in newborns whose mothers had high psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, a small cross-sectional study suggested. Infants of mothers with elevated maternal distress during the pandemic had median reductions in white matter, right hippocampal, and left amygdala volumes compared with neonates whose mothers had low distress levels, this is according to research from the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. This was published in JAMA Network Open on June 20, 2024 and is making the medical headlines. This is fascinating data. BUT, this is NOT new news. In this episode, we will review the concerning effect that maternal mood and stress has on the developing fetal brain, and how maternal stress may even be leading to changes in the child’s puberty! Listen in for details.