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Prolonged stress can have long-term effects on children's growth and development.
Children born to mothers who experience stress while pregnant are 10 times more likely to develop a personality disorder by age 30, a study suggests.
Even prolonged stress, according to the study can have an impact on the development of the child and continue after delivery.
Experts asked more than 3,600 pregnant women in Finland questions about their stress levels, and monitored the mothers' child development.
Psychiatrists say mothers-to-be should have access to mental health help.
Other important factors, such as how children are raised, family financial situations and trauma experienced during childhood, are known to contribute and may play a role in the development of personality disorders.
What is a personality disorder?
This disease causes a disruption to aspects of a person's personality that make it difficult to live life, as well as for others.
They can experience excessive anxiety or be emotionally unstable, for example, or paranoid or antisocial.
Personality disorders are estimated to affect about one in 20 people.
They are more likely to have other mental health problems, such as depression, or drug and alcohol problems.
Like other mental disorders, parenting patterns, brain problems, and genes can play a role in their development.
What was done in this study?
Each month during pregnancy, the study — outlined in the British Journal of Psychiatry — asked the women to answer a variety of questions about their mental stress levels.
They should say if they are experiencing stress, somewhat stress or not stress.
The women lived around the finnish city of Helsinki and their babies were born between 1975 and 1976.
There were 40 children diagnosed with personality disorders, when their children were 30 years old, all of which were the worst cases that required them to be hospitalized.
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Children born to mothers who experience stress during pregnancy are at 10 times the risk of developing personality disorders.
What did they find out about stress?
The results of the study said that prolonged stress and high levels during pregnancy have the potential to have a long-lasting effect on children.
Children who were exposed to stress from their mothers were 9.53 times more likely to experience personality disorders than those whose mothers did not experience stress.
Children who are exposed to moderate stress, have a fourfold chance.
This can be stress related to relationship problems, social factors or psychological problems, for example.
Why is stress damaging?
It is not known how stress in pregnant women can increase the risk of personality disorders.
It may be related to changes that occur in the brain or due to inherited genes, or a number of other factors in children's care.
The researchers tried to eliminate that stress effect first, by controlling for other factors such as pregnant women's psychiatric history, whether they smoked during pregnancy or were depressed.
Previous research has found a link between stress in pregnancy and the development of depression, anxiety and schizophrenia.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption Pictured,
Children who are exposed to stress from their mothers are most likely to experience personality disorders when they turn 30 years old.
What can be done?
Dr Trudi Senevirante, who heads the perinatal faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said pregnancy can be a stressful time and mothers-to-be need help.
"If stress is not addressed, there is a high chance it will go into the postnatal period," he said.
"It's a very sensitive thing to talk about.
"We don't want parents to think they're damaging their children — but high levels of stress affect us."
He said England's health service, the NHS, had dramatically improved perinatal mental health services several times.
How to reduce stress during pregnancy?
Mothers-to-be should get support while at home and at work during pregnancy and given strategies on how to adjust when they're stressed, says Dr. Senevirante.
"They need to learn to rest, ask for support and talk to someone about how they feel."
They are also advised to undergo a balanced diet, stop smoking, and sleep regularly.
And after the birth?
Lead author ross brannigan, from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, said: "This study highlights the importance of support for coping with stress and mental health for pregnant women and families during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Your midwife or health care worker should ask if you've had any problems with your mental health in the past and if you have feelings of hopelessness after your baby is born.
The doctors will offer you health help to help you manage your feelings.
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