A recent study has found results that may pinpoint the exact time at which stress during pregnancy begins to harm the fetus. Previous studies have confirmed that there is a link between maternal stress and fetal development; however, the exact time and mechanisms involved had remained unclear. A study based out of the Imperial College of London and Wexham Park Hospital Berkshire has recently found that the amount of cortisol stress hormones found in the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus, is linked to the mother’s blood as early as 17 weeks gestation. The strength of this correlation is then increased as the pregnancy progresses. Previous studies in animals have found that high levels of maternal stress can affect both brain function as well as behavior in children.

Source: InTheNews.co.uk