Thursday, 2 August 2012
By Tim Howden ND BHSc MNHAA
Current research indicates that babies exposed to significant inter-utero stress are likely to have a lowered ability to cope with stress as well as a higher chance of inflammatory diseases later in life. Many situations can lead to an increase in pre-natal stress hormones in the mother. For example, a partner being made redundant, moving house, going through a break-up, the death of a loved, fleeing a war torn country as a refugee. The list can be endless but what is important, is that if the mother experiences significant stress during her pregnancy this is passed onto her baby.
We know that prolonged stress alters Gut function and compromises immunity as well as mental emotional wellbeing. This is known as the Gut-Brain Axis.
In real terms this may explain the tremendous rise in Depression, Anxiety, Diabetes and Neuro-Immunological conditions like ADD/ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Disorders.