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Saboory et al. found that prenatal psychosocial stress can cause delays in child growth and development through assessing the child's weight, height and head circumference every two months after they were born. [6] They also assessed the child's cognitive development through the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). [6]
The result was the monograph Maternal Care and Mental Health published in 1951, which sets out the maternal deprivation hypothesis. [3] The WHO report was followed by the publication of an abridged version for public consumption called Child Care and the Growth of Love. This book sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Additionally, maternal stress can affect the fetus both directly and indirectly. When a mother is under stress, physiological changes occur in the body that could harm the developing fetus. Additionally, the mother is more likely to engage in behaviors that could negatively affect the fetus, such as tobacco smoking, substance use, and alcohol use.
One factor of improper maternal care is the use of substances throughout pregnancy which has several different effects on the fetus. Those who are pregnant and use substances during pregnancy have an association with also delaying or not seeking prenatal care, and those who delay prenatal care typically do not participate in follow up services.
Because of a link in blood supply between a mother and fetus, it has been found that stress can leave lasting effects on a developing fetus, even before a child is born. According to recent studies, these effects are mainly the result of two particular stress biomarkers circulating in the maternal blood supply: cortisol and catecholamines.
The stress that the mother experiences affects the fetus and the fetus' growth which can include the fetus' nervous system (Reilly, 2017). Stress can also lead to low birth weight. Even after avoiding other factors like alcohol, drugs, and being healthy, stress can have its impacts whether families know it or not.
Early childhood is a critical period in a child's life that includes ages from birth to five years old. [1] [2] Psychological stress is an inevitable part of life. Human beings can experience stress from an early age. Although stress is a factor for the average human being, it can be a positive or negative molding aspect in a young child's life ...
Exposure to ACEs, which exert effect by increasing an individual exposure to toxic stress during key periods of development, has also been linked to higher risks of chronic diseases, respiratory and heart disease, cancer and suicide. [4] More specifically, improper prenatal care increases the risk of premature births and complications during ...