A study led by the IMPACT Center at the Universidad de los Andes addressed the effects of maternal perinatal stress on the short-term development of pregnancy.
Since 2016, every first Wednesday in May, World Maternal Mental Health Day is commemorated, to raise awareness about its importance and the relevance of timely treatment during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
Various national investigations reported in the 2015 Perinatal Guide of the Ministry of Health (MINSAL) point to high levels of anxiety among pregnant women, reaching up to 44.3% of the women surveyed. But the consequences are even broader.
A study led by the Center for Biomedical Research and Innovation (CiiB) and the IMPACT Basal Center, both at the Universidad de los Andes, links perinatal stress with a higher risk of premature births. The research evaluated 400 women who were 36 weeks pregnant through a survey that measured their stress levels.
“What we found in this study is that, of all those surveyed, 21% of them had stress levels. Of that percentage, 8.3% had premature births. This indicator among pregnant women who did not present stress was only 1.9%. This is conclusive with the international scientific evidence that points to stress as a factor that can increase the risk of premature birth. In the case of our study, the results showed a significance in that birth is five days earlier in a woman who presents maternal stress,” explains Patricia Valdebenito, midwife and manager of clinical studies at the IMPACT center.
The significance of these results is due to the series of physiological and hormonal changes that perinatal stress can cause. These changes are: increased cortisol levels, decreased blood flow to the uterus and placenta, increased cytokine levels. All of these factors can precipitate childbirth.
“This pathology is the main cause of perinatal morbidity in Chile, which means that babies born prematurely have a higher risk of developing problems in the short, medium and long term, which translates into a significant public health problem with important consequences for both the health of newborns and for health systems,” says the expert.
In a second phase, the research will focus on the effect of stress during pregnancy on the neurodevelopment of children in the country, with the aim of gaining a broader understanding of the impact of perinatal mental health on both the short and long term.