Does maternal stress, depression and anxiety affect fetal neurobehavioral development? a review

Abstract

When a mother experiences stress, depression or anxiety during pregnancy, it can be referred to as maternal or prenatal stress. Various environmental sufferings and stressful occasions can develop maternal stress. Often hormonal changes in the mother can negatively influence the brain development of the fetus. By following two pathways maternal stress transfers to the fetus and these are Fetal-Maternal Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis Dysregulation and Uterine Artery Resistance. Moreover, maternal stress also has an impact on the fetal brain structure and so many parts of the fetal brain cannot develop properly. Therefore, the child suffers from impaired neurobehavioural development. Furthermore, different maternal modulators also impairthe neuronal development offetus. For instance, elevated cytokines level can develop psychiatric disorders in the infant, increased cortisol levels can also disrupt the HPA Axis mechanism etc. Therefore, this study aims to highlight how maternal stress hampers the neurobehavioral development of the fetus by reviewing various articles.