Yes, while a single fright likely won't harm your baby, chronic or extreme stress and fear during pregnancy can impact fetal development, potentially leading to issues like preterm birth, low birth weight, and changes in baby's health indicators, as stress hormones like cortisol can cross the placenta. Managing intense, ongoing fear through talking to your doctor, practicing relaxation, and seeking support is key, as short-term scares are normal and usually harmless.
A few studies have found that poorly treated anxiety in pregnancy might affect early childhood development, including weakened social, emotional, and communication skills. Untreated anxiety can make it difficult to feel connected (bonded) with the baby both during pregnancy and after delivery.
Pregnancy is a major life change, and it is normal to feel some stress and emotional changes. If people experience high stress levels or emotions that feel overwhelming or out of their control, they can speak with a doctor. There are no set guidelines for how much stress is too much during pregnancy.
Research says that intense anger might put you at a higher risk for placental abruption, which is rare but can mean your baby doesn't get all the oxygen and nutrients it needs during pregnancy. Studies also show that if you are more angry during pregnancy, your baby may have growth delays and sleep issues.
First trimester
It can bring on a lot of early pregnancy emotions and first-trimester mood swings. Emotionally, many people experience a whirlwind of feelings as they come to terms with the reality of being pregnant and oftentimes can feel very emotional in early pregnancy.
You and Your Baby's Emotional Connection
That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own. During the gestational period, your baby is preparing themselves for life in the outside world. How do they do this? By interpreting the messages you're sending them throughout your pregnancy.
The second trimester of pregnancy is often the most enjoyable. Find out how to relieve common symptoms — and consider ways to prepare for what's ahead. The second trimester of pregnancy often brings a renewed sense of well-being. The worst of the nausea often is gone.
Don't eat undercooked meat, poultry or eggs
Most expectant mothers notice mood swings in the first trimester, typically between 6 and 10 weeks. This is when pregnancy hormones surge and begin to affect your emotions. Many women also experience emotional ups and downs in the third trimester, as the body prepares for labour and delivery.
Most often, early miscarriage is caused by a problem in the chromosomes that disrupts an embryo's development. But research has found that some forms of stress may raise the risk of a miscarriage. Short periods of stress that don't disrupt a person's life overall don't seem to raise the risk of miscarriage.
High levels of stress that continue for a long time may cause health problems, like high blood pressure and heart disease. During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having a baby who is preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces).
Physical signs of stress
An increase in the stressful life events index was associated with increased risk of all types of birth defects, with the strongest association for isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate and anencephaly.
Five key warning signs during pregnancy needing immediate medical attention include vaginal bleeding, severe headaches with vision changes, decreased baby movement, severe abdominal pain/cramping, and signs of preterm labor like regular contractions or fluid leakage, as these can signal serious issues like miscarriage, preeclampsia, placental problems, or infection. Always contact your healthcare provider or seek emergency care for these symptoms.
Here are ten tips to help you relax in pregnancy.
Hormones are chemicals in your body that do many jobs—including helping regulate your mood. When you're pregnant, those hormone levels go way up. That's why you may cry or feel angry for no reason. Don't worry—your body will adjust over time, and the extreme emotions will calm down.
We previously showed that stress, depression, and anxiety during pregnancy are associated with a higher risk of abruption13. A higher risk of abruption was also found among women who experienced grief during pregnancy12, although the relation between abruption and anger has not been studied.
Too much stress can cause you to have trouble sleeping, headaches, loss of appetite, or a tendency to overeat—all of which can be harmful to you and your developing baby. High levels of stress can also cause high blood pressure, which increases your chance of having preterm labor or a low-birth-weight infant.
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions that are 3 minutes apart, lasting 2 minutes each, for 1 hour (or sometimes cited as 3-1-1, meaning 3 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour). For subsequent pregnancies, the 5-1-1 Rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour) is often used, indicating labor is progressing more quickly.
Toxoplasmosis (tok-so-plaz-MOE-sis) is an infection with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. People often get the infection from eating undercooked meat. You can also get it from contact with cat feces. The parasite can pass to a baby during pregnancy.
While most fruits are safe and healthy during pregnancy, pregnant individuals should avoid unripe papaya, which contains latex that can cause contractions, and consume pineapple, grapes, and dates in moderation, especially in the first trimester, due to enzymes or high sugar content that might trigger early labor or blood sugar spikes. Thoroughly washing all fresh fruit and avoiding pre-cut or bruised produce is crucial to prevent foodborne illness, and it's always best to consult your doctor for personalized advice.
Some call the second trimester the "golden trimester" because early pregnancy symptoms, like nausea and fatigue, usually go away. You may not have the pain, anxiety, and insomnia that often come with the third trimester. In other words, the second trimester is often the most energetic and pleasant one.
For most people, the extreme fatigue of the first trimester is soon forgotten. That's because the second trimester often comes with a glow and a boost in energy. So don't worry if it seems like all you're doing these first few weeks is lying around, dozing, or napping. This is normal.