08/08/2021
WHAT TYPE OF STRESS CAN CAUSE PREGNANCY PROBLEMS?
Stress is not all bad. When you handle it right, a little stress can help you take on new challenges. Regular stress during pregnancy, such as work deadlines, probably don’t add to pregnancy problems.
However, serious types of stress during pregnancy may increase your chances of certain problems, like premature birth. Most women who have serious stress during pregnancy can have healthy babies. But talk to your health care provider if you have these types of stress:
Negative life events. These are things like divorce, serious illness or death in the family, or losing a job or home. Catastrophic events. These include earthquakes, hurricanes or terrorist attacks. Long-lasting stress. This type of stress can be caused by having problems with money, being abused, being homeless or having serious health problems.
➡Depression or anxiety. Depression is a medical condition that causes feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you like to do. It can affect how you feel, think and act and can interfere with your daily life. It needs treatment to get better.
➡Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear of things that may happen. Both conditions may make it hard to take care of yourself and your baby. Depression and anxiety are common and treatable so talk to your provider if you feel depressed or anxious. If you have these conditions before pregnancy, talk to your provider before stopping or starting any medications. Quitting suddenly can cause serious problems for you and your baby. If you need to stop taking medicine or switch medicines, your health care provider can help you make changes safely.
➡Neighborhood stress. Some women may have stress from living in a neighborhood with poverty and crime.
➡Racism. Some women may face stress from racism during their lives. This may be problematic for pregnancy.
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