Table of Contents
What is Stress?
Stress is simply the state of your body as a result of worry or mental tension caused by challenges or a difficult situation.
It can cause headaches, sleep trouble, loss of appetite, a desire to overeat, and many other physical and mental changes.
During pregnancy, your life, family, and body are changing, which can bring stress to your life. What makes the difference for every woman’s well-being, is the way you respond and handle stress.
In this article, we will look into the connection between stress and pregnancy loss, as well as how to reduce stress in pregnancy.
Is Stress During Pregnancy Normal?
Everyone experiences stress to a certain degree, including pregnant women. So back to the question – yes, it is normal to feel some stress during pregnancy. It is for this reason that there are amazing prenatal vitamins to replenish nutrients that may be lacking in pregnant women.
As a pregnant woman, your body is going through a lot of changes, including hormonal and mood changes. You may also feel overwhelmed for other reasons like financial problems, relationship issues, divorce, unemployment, or the loss of a loved one.
Some pregnant women experience stress from the fear of childbirth, anxiety about different pregnancy tests, or worry about their unborn baby’s health.
What Causes Stress for a Pregnant Woman?
Some of the most common causes of stress for pregnant women include:
- Dealing with uncomfortable body changes like tiredness, backache, mood swings, and vomiting
- The fear of miscarriage or pregnancy loss
- Fear of pregnancy labor and delivery
- Financial stress, especially when it has to do with having and raising a baby
- Tedious work or helping your employer prepare for your maternity leave.
- Frustrating stress that comes from feeling stressed all day long.
How Can Stress Affect Pregnancy?
Beyond knowing the causes of stress and pregnancy loss, you should also know how it can affect your pregnancy.
Research shows that prenatal stress can have major effects on pregnancy, maternal health, and human development. High levels of stress may lead to health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having preterm labor and birth or a low-birthweight baby.
Aside from stress resulting in pregnancy loss, This may lead to several risks, including physical health conditions like asthma and allergies in your baby.
Moreover, babies born too soon or too small also experience high chances of health problems.
Can Post-traumatic Stress Affect Pregnancy?
According to studies, 3% to 19% of pregnant women experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Postpartum PTSD is known as one of the most common mental health disorders after depression and nicotine dependence.
If not treated on time or given the right attention, PTSD can have long-lasting effects on the pregnant woman, even after having the baby.
Pregnant women with PTSD have a high chance of seeing negative results including diabetes during pregnancy, severe high blood pressure, and low birthweight.
Such women are also more likely to have risky health behaviours like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and abusing drugs. With or without knowing, these behaviours can cause pregnancy issues.
Can Stress Result in Pregnancy Loss?
Pregnancy loss or what people know as miscarriages can leave a lot of women and couples feeling devastated. However, many factors can cause pregnancy loss, including stress.
Between stress and pregnancy loss, chromosomal disorder is a major factor along with mental health conditions or substance use. This abnormality can lead to errors in the DNA of the fetus that develop during the early cell division of pregnancy.
As much as these complications are not preventable, maternal age and a family history of chromosomal disorder may even double its chances.
Other Causes of Pregnancy Loss
Beyond chromosomal disorder, the following are other causes of pregnancy loss:
Physical Health of the Pregnant Person
There is a reason they say your physical look could say a lot about your state of health. The physical health of a pregnant woman can play a major role in the occurrence of pregnancy loss. Medical conditions like diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, and autoimmune diseases, can increase the chances of miscarriage. Moreover, any issue with the uterus may also add to the frequency of miscarriages over time.
Use or Misuse of Substance
The use or misuse of substances like alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drugs, can also increase the chances of pregnancy loss. Research shows that smoking can lead to lower fertility rates, pregnancy complications, premature birth, low birth weight in infants, and stillbirth. Drinking alcohol may cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders while drug misuse can have harmful effects on the growing fetus.
How to Reduce Stress in Pregnancy
Stay healthy and fit
When it comes to tips on how to reduce stress in pregnancy, you need to stay healthy and fit at all times. You will need to eat healthy foods and get enough sleep to relax your mind and body. Exercise can also help you reduce stress, especially when facing common pregnancy discomforts.
Cut Back on Unnecessary Activities
As a pregnant woman, you don’t need to do every task that comes your way. Feel free to cut back on certain activities and if possible, reach out to people who can assist you when you need help.
Try Relaxation Activities
If you want to reduce stress during pregnancy, it is important to know how to relax your mind in pregnancy. Luckily, there are relaxation activities like meditation and prenatal yoga you can practice to get ahead of stress.
Understand that Pregnancy Discomforts are Temporary
Everything you are feeling now as a result of stress and pregnancy is just for a while and will pass soon. This is why it is important to speak to your doctor about any discomfort you may be feeling during pregnancy. You may also want to take certain vitamins to avoid prenatal side effects. Getting treatment in the first trimester of the pregnancy is also important for your health and your baby’s growth.
Inform your employer in advance about a maternity leave
High levels of stress is not good for you and your growing baby. Certain work activities can be stressful and uncomfortable for you to handle and will require you to take a break. Reach out to your employer for a maternity leave as soon as possible.
Have a Good Support System
The people around you can also help with stress relief. Your family, friends, and partner are all part of your support system and should be with you during this period. Accept help when they offer it to release any kind of work pressure.
Keep a Journal
When you keep track of your emotions, it helps you identify certain triggers and stressors in your life. A journal is a beautiful tool for managing your emotions and improving your mental health during pregnancy.
Talk About It
It is a known fact that talking about something is a great way to lessen the burden from it. When you talk about any issue during pregnancy, it can reduce your anxiety and stress levels. Chat up a friend, talk to a family member, or consult a healthcare professional about your stress and pregnancy loss. You may also join antenatal groups that will allow you to meet and chat with others who may share the same issue as you.
Be in the Moment
Just relax and live in the moment. Laugh when you need to, watch the latest movie, or take a long overdue spa date. Sometimes there’s no better stress relief than realizing a moment and living it out in the best way possible.
Get Enough Sleep
While it’s easy for some pregnant ladies to fall asleep, especially during the first trimester, sleep may not always come as easily as pregnancy progresses. Your body is going through a lot and not getting enough sleep can increase your stress levels. At night, try sleeping for 7-9 hours to achieve your resting goals.
Focus on What you Can Control
Sometimes, we are guilty of taking up too many activities for fear of losing something or someone. As much as it may be necessary, this is the time to take a really good care of yourself. Your job, friend, or family member will understand why you need to say no now.
Drink Peppermint Tea
Sipping on peppermint tea is beneficial for pregnant women because it is an all-natural way to relieve stress. Peppermint leaves contain menthol which can work as a muscle relaxant and sedative. Besides, peppermint tea is caffeine-free, which is safe enough for you to sip all day while relaxing at home. In other words, this is a great tip on how to relax in early pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a research on pregnancy, women experiencing anger in pregnancy can be active but may experience foetus growth delays. The activeness is from high levels of hormones like epinephrine and adrenaline, reducing the supply of oxygen and blood to the fetus.
You can start by talking to someone you trust about how you feel or join an antenatal group discussion. Another way to stay calm during pregnancy is to practice relaxation techniques and mindfulness all the way.
Some of the few things a husband should not do during pregnancy is complain about her feelings or force her to eat, as they could each increase her stress levels.
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