Module 4 discussion
Stress and the
Reproductive System
Does maternal stress have an influence on the cognitive
development of the fetus? This question has intrigued researchers for many
years and continues to be an area of ongoing research. Exposure of pregnant
females to stress has been hypothesized to lead to many prenatal effects from
fetal disorders to pregnancy failure. Studies have suggested a potential link
of prenatal stress to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
schizophrenia, and autism in offspring.
A study conducted in 2009 demonstrated that prenatal
maternal stress during the second trimester, as the result of exposure to a
Canadian Ice storm, resulted in greater dermatoglyphic asymmetry (different
dermal ridge counts) in their children. This asymmetric pattern is sometimes
found in patients with schizophrenia. This finding is of particular interest as
the fingerprint pattern of fetuses develops at the same time as the hippocampus
in utero, and may be a physical marker for altered development of this region.
Chose one of the disorders above (ADHD, schizophrenia, or
autism) and research the data on how prenatal stress may be linked to the
development of this disorder in the womb. Also, address the following questions
below:
How strong does the data support maternal stress and the
development of your chosen disorder?
Why do you think some children seem to be affected by
prenatal stress and not others?
When responding to classmates, consider the influence of
other factors that may play a role for both the mother and fetus.
Glover, V., O’Conner, T. & O’Donnell, K. (2010).
Prenatal stress and the programming of the HPA axis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral
Reviews, 35, 17–22
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