Stress and mood disorders during pregnancy: Implications for child development

Recent research suggests that stress, anxiety, and depression during pregna ncy may have an impact on how the child develops. In this article, the cent ral literature supporting this hypothesis is reviewed. Next, studies from o ur laboratory showing that differences in fetal heart rate patterns are ass ociated with women's anxiety and depressive symptomatology are reviewed. Th e data indicate that we can detect fetal markers associated with alteration s in women's mood that also are linked to differences in the neurobiologica l substrate of the fetus' emerging emotion regulation system. Identifying s uch fetal characteristics someday may contribute to the early detection and prevention of predispositions to childhood risk for emotional problems and even psychopatholgy.