Hi Leanne Thanks for your posting. These research findings sit very well with me. I'm not sure if you have heard of the author Ellen White, but she has written much on many subjects, and as a midwife I have been very interested in her comments on prenatal influences. She says that where possible mothers should try to have a pleasant disposition when pregnant as their temperament affects the personality of their unborn child. This makes a lot of sense from a 'scientific' point of view, but there was no research to date that I was aware of, and I was curious to know how this could be tested. I have been deliberating on plans to do research in the near future, and this has inspired me somewhat. Thank you.
Kind regards, Angela -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of leanne wynne Sent: Thursday, 5 October 2006 9:07 AM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: [ozmidwifery] article FYI Stress During Pregnancy Linked to Smaller Babies WEDNESDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Stressed-out pregnant women may carry smaller-than-average babies, a new study finds. In findings published in the September-October issue of Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers from the University of Miami School of Medicine studied 98 women who were 16 to 29 weeks pregnant. The women completed questionnaires that measured their levels of distress from daily hassles, depression and anxiety. The women also underwent ultrasounds to measure their fetuses, and they provided urine samples to measure levels of stress-linked hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine. The researchers found that the fetuses of the mothers with higher rates of depression, anxiety and stress weighed less and were smaller than average. In addition, cortisol levels were linked to the weight of the fetus, indicating that cortisol may be a potential mechanism for transmitting a mother's stress to her unborn baby. "One of the things this research highlights is that if you are pregnant and under extreme amounts of stress or feeling depressed, you should talk with your doctor about ways of treating these conditions during pregnancy," study author Miguel A. Diego said in a prepared statement. -- Krisha McCoy SOURCE: Health Behavior News Service, news release, Sept. 22, 2006 Copyright (c) 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved. Leanne Wynne Midwife in charge of "Women's Business" Mildura Aboriginal Health Service Mob 0418 371862 -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.