Stress before pregnancy bad for mothers' health, Mass General Brigham study says
BOSTON - A new study finds that stress levels before pregnancy could be detrimental to a woman's health.
Undue stress during pregnancy is not good, but the problem may begin even before a woman conceives.
In general, Americans are experiencing greater levels of stress than just a few years ago, and couples trying to conceive are especially anxious, but what impact does that have on a woman's health? To find out, researchers at Mass General Brigham studied nearly 400 women between the ages of 18 and 45 undergoing fertility treatments and found that those who experienced more stress before they got pregnant had higher blood sugar levels during pregnancy, a predictor of cardiovascular disease.
This was particularly true among women undergoing intrauterine insemination, often referred to as artificial insemination, and among women of higher socioeconomic status, possibly due to higher levels of job stress and difficulty trying to balance life-work demands.
Ways to lower stress before conception include exercising, avoiding alcohol, eating healthy, and maintaining social connections.