Introduction
During pregnancy, many changes are experienced. There is change in the body, emotions, and the family life. These changes are welcomed, as they are unavoidable, though they result to new stress to someone’s life. It is common during pregnancy to feel stressed; however, too much stress can make the mother uncomfortable. It may make her lose sleep, lose appetite or overeat and have headache. High stress levels, which are prolonged, may result to health problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. When one is pregnant, this form of stress may increase the chances of giving birth prematurely or a giving birth to a baby with low body weight. The babies born under these circumstances have higher chances of experiencing health problems. Researchers and obstetricians have been trying various ways to help pregnant women to reduce stress.
Causes of Stress during Pregnancy
Stress in different women is caused through different ways. Some of the common causes of stress are discussed. Dealing with the pregnancy discomforts like constipation, nausea, being tired or having a backache cause stress to women. It is also stressing for some mothers to think of what they expect during pregnancy and birth and how their babies will be taken care of after birth. During pregnancy, there is change in hormones, which cause changes in moods. Individuals with mood swings find it hard to handle stress. For working expectant mothers, they may have to manage the responsibilities of job and prepare their employers for time away from the job (Jallo, Bourguignon, Taylor, & Utz 2008). Additionally, it should be noted that life is occupied with many activities and sometimes it takes unexpected turns. These aspects do not change because of pregnancy; these many activities of life cause stress.
Stress Types which can cause Problems in Pregnancy
Not all stress is bad; when well dealt with, a little stress can help one in taking new challenges. Regular stresses at pregnancy like work deadlines and staying for long in traffic, possibly do not result to problems in pregnancy. Nonetheless, serious stress types during pregnancy may increase someone’s chances of certain problems such as premature birth. The majority of women with serious stress during pregnancy may have healthy babies. However, one need to be careful when they are faced with critical stress types.
Catastrophic events: These entail things like terrorist attacks, hurricane, and earthquakes.
Negative life events: These comprise of things like divorce, crucial illness or demise of a family member, losing a home or a job.
Long-lasting stress: This form of stress can result from having financial problems, having crucial health problems, being abused, or being depressed. Depression implies a medical condition where strong sadness feeling stay for long and hinder an individual from living normally.
Pregnancy-related stress: Some women may be extremely stressed due to pregnancy. They may be concerned about incidence of miscarriage, the well-being of the baby or on how they are to cope with birth and labor or joining parenting.
Racism: Some women may experience racism during their lifetime. This could be reason behind most African-American women in US having high chances of low birth-weight or premature babies than women from other ethnic or racial groups.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Pregnancy
Post-traumatic stress disorder is experienced when one has problems following experience of a terrific incidence like abuse, rape, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or demise of a loved one. Persons with PTSD may have physical responses when reminded about these events, nightmares, event flashbacks, and serious anxiety. About eight of hundred women may experience PTSD during pregnancy. Women experiencing PSTD have high likelihood to have low birth-weight or premature birth. Additionally, they have high chances as compared to other women to have risky health behaviors like taking street drugs, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes (Lee, et al 2011). When one engages in these activities, the chances of pregnancy problems are experienced.
How Stress Causes Pregnancy Problems
It may be hard to comprehend the effects of stress on pregnancy. However, some stress-related hormones may contribute to causing of certain complications in pregnancy. Prolonged stress may affect someone immune system, which protects someone from infections. This may increase the chances of getting uterus infection. This form of infection may result to giving birth prematurely. Stress may also affect the manner in which someone responds to certain situations. Some women may handle the stress through cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking street drugs, which may result to problems in pregnancy.
Some surveys have shown that high stress levels during pregnancy may result to certain health problems during pregnancy. These include being afraid or having trouble to pay attention. Possibly, stress may as well affect the brain development of a baby as well as their immune system.
Reduction of Stress during Pregnancy
One should figure out their stressors and talk about it with their partners, health care providers or a friend. One should know that the pregnancy discomforts are not long term and then they should ask their providers on how these are to be handled. One should stay healthy and fit. This can be achieved by eating healthy foods, having sufficient exercise and sleep with the advice of the provider. Exercise is ideal for reducing stress and helps in prevention of common discomforts in pregnancy. One should also stop undertaking activities they do not need to engage in. A favorable support network would be necessary, including someone’s friends, family and partner. The expectant mother should ask the provider on community resources, which are helpful to their condition. Assistance should also be sought from people one trusts and accept help when it is offered. For instance, one may require assistance in house cleaning or company for attending prenatal clinic.
Relaxation activities like meditation and prenatal yoga should be given a trial. Use of mind-body techniques like massage and yoga can assist in pushing down the stress level during pregnancy. The mind-body techniques help both the child and the mother. These practices trigger the relaxation response of the body, which comprise of lowered heart rate, lowered blood pressure and low respiratory rate. The physiologic processes work more efficiently when the body is relaxed. Yoga is perceived to be the favorite mind-body technique as it increases breathing awareness, which may become difficult in the later pregnancy stages and helps the body to adjust to noteworthy physical changes, which are experienced during pregnancy (Croley, 2013). Meditation increases confidence, well-being, and relaxation at the time of labor. Expectant mothers should not overlook the benefits and pleasures of massage. It is been established that during massage, the fetus moves around less actively. This will bring calmness in the body of the mother. Massage as well relieves areas of discomfort and stress on the body on pregnant mothers, particularly the lower back.
Expectant mothers should take education class on childbirth for them to know what they are to expect during pregnancy and after the arrival of the baby. Practicing breathing and relation methods learned from these classes is advisable. For working mothers, they ought to plan to help the mother and her employer to be prepared for her time away from work (Katz, 2012). If one has the perception that they have chances of being depressed, they should share with their providers immediately. There exists various ways of dealing with conditions of depression, Getting early counseling and treatment is among these methods.
It has been established that stress may have an adverse effect on someone’s health Mauriello, 2003). However, research has indicated that pregnant women ought to pay keen consideration to this association. This can be done by avoiding stressing out about stress. During the turbulent times of pregnancy, it is normal to feel stressed, and the best way to deal with it is looking at the stressors and taking the necessary actions. One should avoid responding to the stress negatively. It is worth noting that some things people do deal with stress just make the problem worse. Some of the unhealthy methods of coping with stress comprise of sleeping to escape problems, withdrawing from people, eating junk food or skipping meal and substance abuse.
Conclusion
Pregnancy causes stress to expectant mothers. The causes of stress during pregnancy are many ranging from hormonal changes, emotional changes, and physical changes. If the stress is not handled well, it may have adverse effects to the mother as well as the child. Negative response to stress should be avoided. Stress can be managed effectively through mind-body techniques like yoga, massage and mediation. One should also have good eating habits and seek support from people like partners, family and friends.
References
Croley, C. (2013). Yoga for mom: Stress management important, during and after pregnancy, Tribune Business News.
Jallo N., Bourguignon C., Taylor A.G., Utz, S.W. (2008). Stress management during pregnancy: designing and evaluating a mind-body intervention. Fam Community Health, 31(3), 190- 203.
Katz, V.L. (2012). Work and work-related stress in pregnancy, Clinical obstetrics and gynecology, 55(3), p.765-778.
Lee, B., Ha, M. Park, H., Hong, Y., Kim, Y., Kim, Y. et al (2011). Psychosocial work stress during pregnancy and birthweight, Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology,25(3), 246- 254.
Mauriello, L.M. (2003). Stress management during pregnancy: An investigation of the psychosocial, behavioral, and cognitive correlates, Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/dissertations/AAI3103710/
