Why Baby Heartbeat Stop During Pregnancy?

What causes a baby’s heart to stop beating in the womb

A stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy. A miscarriage is a fetal loss in the first half of pregnancy. About 1 in 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth. Stillbirth is less common than in the past because of better pregnancy care. Up to one half of the time, the reason for the stillbirth is never known. Some factors that can cause stillbirth are:

Birth defectsAbnormal chromosomesInfection in the mother or fetusInjuriesLong-term (chronic) health conditions in the mother (diabetes, epilepsy, or high blood pressure)Problems with the placenta that prevent the fetus from getting nourishment (such as placental detachment)Sudden severe blood loss (hemorrhage) in the mother or fetusHeart stoppage (cardiac arrest) in the mother or fetusUmbilical cord problems

Women at higher risk for stillbirth:

Are older than age 35 yearsAre obeseAre carrying multiple babies (twins or more)Are African AmericanHave had a past stillbirthHave high blood pressure or diabetesHave other medical conditions (like lupus)Take drugs

The health care provider will use an ultrasound to confirm that the baby’s heart has stopped beating. If the woman’s health is at risk, she will need to deliver the baby right away. Otherwise, she can choose to have medicine to start labor or wait for labor to begin on its own.

After the delivery, the provider will look at the placenta, fetus, and umbilical cord for signs of problems. The parents will be asked for permission to do more detailed tests. These may include internal exams (autopsy), x-rays, and genetic tests. It is natural for parents to feel uneasy about these tests when they are dealing with the loss of a baby.

But learning the cause of the stillbirth can help a woman have a healthy baby in the future. It may also help some parents cope with their loss to know as much as they can. Stillbirth is a tragic event for a family. The grief of a pregnancy loss can raise the risk of postpartum depression,

Pay attention to your health. Eat and sleep well so your body stays strong.Find ways to express your feelings. Joining a support group, talking to family and friends, and keeping a journal are some ways to express grief.Educate yourself. Learning about the problem, what you might be able to do, and how other people have coped can help you.Give yourself time to heal. Grieving is a process. Accept that it will take time to feel better.

Most women who have had a stillbirth are very likely to have a healthy pregnancy in the future. Placenta and cord problems or chromosome defects are unlikely to occur again. Some things you can do to help prevent another stillbirth are:

Meet with a genetic counselor, If the baby died because of an inherited problem, you can learn your risks for the future.Talk to your provider before you get pregnant. Make sure long-term (chronic) health problems like diabetes are in good control. Tell your provider about all your medicines, even the ones you buy without a prescription.Lose weight if you’re overweight. Obesity raises the risk of stillbirth. Ask your provider how to safely lose weight before you get pregnant.Adopt good health habits. Smoking, drinking, and using street drugs are dangerous during pregnancy. Get help quitting before you get pregnant.Get special prenatal care. Women who have had a stillbirth will be watched carefully during pregnancy. They may need special tests to monitor their baby’s growth and well-being.

Call the provider if you have any of the following problems:

Fever.Heavy vaginal bleeding.Sick feeling, throwing up, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.Depression and a feeling like you cannot cope with what has happened.Your baby has not moved as much as usual. After you eat and while you are sitting still, count the movements. Normally you should expect your baby to move 10 times in an hour.

Stillbirth; Fetal demise; Pregnancy – stillborn Reddy UM, Silver RM. Stillbirth. In: Resnik R, Lockwood CJ, Moore TR, Greene MF, Copel JA, Silver RM, eds. Creasy and Resnik’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice,8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 45.

Reddy UM, Silver RM. Stillbirth. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe’s Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies,8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 34. Updated by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda Center for Fertility, Loma Linda, CA.

Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
View complete answer

Can a baby heartbeat stop during pregnancy

Causes of Missed Miscarriage – With a missed miscarriage, your pregnancy started off on the right foot when the fertilized egg implanted in your uterus. But some time in the first trimester, usually around 6 to 10 weeks, the embryo quit developing and the heartbeat stopped.

Though doctors can’t always pinpoint a reason for a pregnancy’s failure to progress, there are some explanations, says Erika Nichelson, D.O., a board-certified OB-GYN at the Family Childbirth and Children’s Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Most commonly, there’s a chromosomal issue that makes the fetus incompatible with life.

It’s also possible that the embryo didn’t develop and left behind an empty pregnancy sac (this is called an anembryonic pregnancy ) or started to grow but for some reason didn’t continue.
View complete answer

Can stress cause fetal heartbeat to stop?

Stress during pregnancy can affect fetal heart rate Stress-related changes in a pregnant woman’s heart rate and blood pressure, along with chronic anxiety, can affect the heart rate of her developing fetus, a new study concludes. Although the study did not report any negative effects on fetal health, the findings confirm that emotion-based changes in a woman’s cardiovascular activity can have “real-time” effects on a fetus, say Catherine Monk, Ph.D., of Columbia University and colleagues.

Previous studies show that stress during pregnancy can increase the risk of low-birth weight and premature births, but a growing body of evidence also suggests that pregnancy stress may “re-program” the fetal environment in ways that affect the baby’s behavior and functioning later in life, according to the researchers.

More analysis is needed to determine whether the heart rate effects in the current study “have implications for the child’s fetal and long-term health and development,” Monk and colleagues say. The researchers collected data on the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate of 32 healthy women in their third trimester before, during and after a short psychological test designed to produce a stress response.

Increases in fetal heart rate during the stress test were related to the mother’s overall level of anxiety, but not related to the mother’s own elevated heart rate and blood pressure during the test, the researchers found. However, mothers’ cardiovascular activity and their general anxiety level were both highly associated with changes in fetal heart rate during the “recovery” period after the stress test was completed. “As women recovered from the stress-eliciting task, fetuses of more highly anxious women showed greater heart rate decreases,” Monk says. The researchers are uncertain why fetal heart rate changes are associated with the mother’s heart rate and blood pressure activity during recovery and not during the stress test, but suggest that it may take time for the physiological effects of stress to reach the fetus. “On the other hand, the relationship between fetal heart rate activity and a woman’s daily anxiety levels may suggest that fetal heart rate patterns have already been shaped by a woman’s mood during the previous months of pregnancy,” Monk says. The study is published in the February issue of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and was supported in part by the Sackler Institute Award, the March of Dimes and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Health Behavior News Service: 202-387-2829 or, Interviews: Contact Annie Bayne, Columbia University Public Relations, at, Psychosomatics: Contact Tom Wise, M.D., at 703-698-3626. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
View complete answer

How do I know if baby heartbeat stopped

– Most women seek treatment for a pregnancy loss when they experience bleeding. When there is no bleeding, a doctor may only diagnose a loss during a routine scan. A doctor may also suspect a loss because of other indications, such as a drop in the levels of pregnancy hormones or an unusual decrease in other pregnancy signs.

Blood tests can determine the levels of hormones, which can help to assess the likelihood of a pregnancy loss. To conclusively diagnose a loss, a doctor must perform an ultrasound to check for a heartbeat. The heartbeat does not develop until 6.5–7 weeks of gestation, so the absence of a heartbeat before this time does not indicate a loss.

To confirm a pregnancy loss, a doctor may choose to perform scans on multiple days. To determine the reason for a loss, a doctor may also recommend genetic testing, further ultrasound scans, or blood testing.
View complete answer

Can low heartbeat fetus recover

How does bradyarrhythmia affect my baby? – A normal fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute (bpm). Fetal bradyarrhythmia is generally defined as a sustained heart rate less than 110 beats per minute. Bradyarrhythmia can range from mild to serious, depending on gestational age, underlying cause, and each baby’s unique condition, including any associated complications.

In mild cases, where no other conditions are present, a slow heart rate may resolve on its own, with no harm to the fetus and no long-term consequences. In severe cases of sustained low heart rate, bradyarrhythmia can be life-threatening, putting the fetus at risk of non-immune hydrops (excess fluid in multiple areas of the body) and heart failure.

Generally the slower the fetal heart rate, and the earlier it occurs in pregnancy, the worse the outcome for the fetus.
View complete answer

How can I increase my baby’s heartbeat during pregnancy?

Food diet tips to have a healthy fetal heart growth In September, World Heart Day is celebrated to spread awareness about cardiovascular diseases. Having a nutritious diet to fuel their hearts and power their lives should be important for everyone, especially for pregnant women.

• A nutritious diet plays a key role in improving your fetal’s cardiovascular system.
• Your fetus also requires omega-3 fatty acids and essential vitamins and minerals like in the case of adults.
• The fetal heart development commences in the first trimester of pregnant women, thereby every pregnant woman should follow a diet rich in calcium and phosphorus, which are important for your baby’s heart growth.

I would suggest all would-be mothers to consult a nutritionist or dietician as soon as they become pregnant to have a safe pregnancy and healthy baby. Fetuses in the womb have bigger hearts in the 1st and 2nd trimester compared to the surrounding organs. As your baby grows, the heart increases in size. The nutrition of the fetus is connected with that of mother. Hence, pregnant mothers should steer clear from caffeinated, excess sodium and high cholesterol products, which may hinder your fetal’s heart development.

• What are the factors affecting my fetus’s heart development?
• • Chromosomal abnormalities: In 50% of babies, chromosomal abnormalities are associated with Down syndrome.
• • Other genetic defects: A single gene may develop abnormally leading to development of a congenital heart defect.
• • Diabetes: Unstable blood sugar control in women with diabetes can be a cause of increased risk of heart defects in baby.
• • Rubella (German measles): Luckily, Rubella is a rare disorder nowadays, however obstetricians advise to test for rubella to confirm whether the mother is protected against German measles in the early pregnancy phase.
• • Drugs or substance abuse
• • Exposure to unwanted chemicals: Paints, solvents, pesticides; air pollutants like trichloroethylene; and possibly, deadly radiations should be avoided.
• • Common Heart Problems

Heart defects are a rare phenomenon. Only around 8 in 1,000 pregnancies are diagnosed with heart abnormalities. Only around 8 in every 1,000 pregnancies are diagnosed with heart abnormalities. Which are the best foods for my fetal well-being? Pregnant women should have regular intake of diet rich in whole grains, leafy greens and lean proteins.

1. However, in some cases, expecting mothers may emphasize rich mineral and nutrient foods.
2. The most critical minerals that significantly impact the fetal heart development are calcium, copper, phosphorous and thiamine.
3. Milk is rich in calcium and can be taken daily in quantities of 1,000 and 700 milligrams respectively.

Have at least 1 milligram of cashews, kidney beans daily since they are great sources of copper. Lastly, eat around 1.4 milligrams of oats, split peas and meat mostly, meat products are rich source of thiamine.

1. Which foods lower fetal’s heart development?
2. • Unhealthy foods
3. • High cholesterol
4. • Highly caffeinated products

In addition to increase consumption of heart-healthy foods, limit unhealthy eating, keep a check on your cholesterol and sodium intake, which should be below 300 and 3,000 milligrams per day, respectively. Food additives or chemicals like MSG can have side effects on your developing baby.

1. You can also seek further advice from your concerned doctor.
2. Postpartum Once your baby is born, his heart simultaneously grows along with other body organs.
3. Furthermore, eat fish, salmon, tuna and flaxseeds due to its omega-3 fatty acids properties that safeguards heart from antioxidants.
4. Closing Thoughts Pregnancy is one of the most vital and delicate phase in every woman’s life.

Every woman should pay special attention to her diet and steer clear from foods that are harmful for your baby. Moderation is the key, have everything but in limits. Most important, drink milk 2-3 times a day, take adequate nutrient supplements and enough rest.
View complete answer

What happens when baby dies in womb?

Giving birth if your baby has died – If a woman’s baby dies before labour starts, she will usually be offered medicine to help induce labour. This is safer for the mother than having a caesarean section, If there’s no medical reason for the baby to be born straightaway, it may be possible to wait for labour to begin naturally.
View complete answer

Can the baby be okay with low heartbeat at 6 weeks?

Outcome of first-trimester pregnancies with slow embryonic heart rate at 6-7 weeks gestation and normal heart rate by 8 weeks at US – PubMed Purpose: To determine retrospectively the outcome of pregnancies in which the embryo has a slow heart rate at 6.0-7.0 weeks gestation and a normal heart rate at follow-up ultrasonography (US) by 8.0 weeks gestation. Materials and methods: Institutional review board approval was granted; informed consent was not required. The study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant. Singleton pregnancies with an embryonic heart rate measured on a 6.0-7.0-week US scan were identified. The heart rate was classified as slow if it was fewer than 90 beats per minute prior to 6.3 weeks or fewer than 110 beats/min at 6.3-7.0 weeks, normal if it was 100 or more beats/min at less than 6.3 weeks or 120 or more beats/min at 6.3-7.0 weeks, or borderline if it was 90-99 beats/min prior to 6.3 weeks or 110-119 beats/min at 6.3-7.0 weeks. Pregnancies were excluded from the analysis if they were lost to follow-up before the end of first trimester. The Fisher exact test was used for all statistical comparisons. Results: The rates of first-trimester demise were 60.6% for pregnancies with slow heart rates at 6.0-7.0 weeks (188 of 310), 17.4% for those with borderline heart rates (103 of 593), and 9.1% for those with normal heart rates (186 of 2034). There were 59 pregnancies with a slow heart rate at 6.0-7.0 weeks and a normal heart rate at follow-up US by 8.0 weeks; 15 (25.4%) resulted in first-trimester demise. This rate of demise was significantly higher than that of 7.2% (28 of 390) in pregnancies with a normal heart rate at 6.0-7.0 weeks and a normal heart rate by 8.0 weeks (P <.001, Fisher exact test). Pregnancies with a borderline heart rate early in pregnancy followed by a normal heart rate had a demise rate of 7.6% (nine of 118), which is similar to those with normal heart rates early in pregnancy followed by normal heart rates at follow-up (P =,84). Conclusion: When a slow embryonic heart rate is detected at 6.0-7.0 weeks, the likelihood of subsequent first-trimester demise remains elevated (approximately 25%) even if the heart rate is normal at follow-up. In such pregnancies, at least one follow-up scan in late first trimester is warranted. : Outcome of first-trimester pregnancies with slow embryonic heart rate at 6-7 weeks gestation and normal heart rate by 8 weeks at US - PubMed

Is it normal if there is no heartbeat at 6 weeks?

Why you might not hear baby’s heartbeat – You might not be able to hear a baby’s heartbeat at your first ultrasound. Most commonly, this is because it’s too early in the pregnancy. This doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem. Your doctor may recommend you schedule another ultrasound 1 to 2 weeks later. Other reasons you might not hear the heartbeat include:

having a tipped uterus having a large abdomenbeing less far along than you thought

If no heartbeat is detected, your doctor will check your fetal measurements. Your health care provider may be concerned if there’s no fetal heartbeat in an embryo with a crown-rump length greater than 5 millimeters. After week 6, your doctor will also be concerned if there is no gestational sac.

1. Your doctor may request a blood test to confirm the pregnancy, or request you come back a few days later for another ultrasound.
2. A 1999 longitudinal study of 325 women in the United Kingdom who had a history of miscarriage reported that if a heartbeat is detected at 6 weeks, there’s a 78 percent chance of the pregnancy continuing.

At 8 weeks, there’s a 98 percent chance, and it goes up to 99.4 percent after 10 weeks.
View complete answer

What is a good heartbeat at 6 weeks?

Gestational Age Week 7 (Fetal Age: 5 weeks) – Generally, from 6 ½ -7 weeks is the time when a heartbeat can be detected and viability can be assessed. A normal heartbeat at 6-7 weeks would be 90-110 beats per minute. The presence of an embryonic heartbeat is an assuring sign of the health of the pregnancy. Once a heartbeat is detected, the chance of the pregnancy continuing ranges from 70-90% dependent on what type of ultrasound is used. If the embryo is less than 5mm CRL, it is possible for it to be healthy without showing a heartbeat, though a follow-up scan in 5-7 days should show cardiac activity. If your doctor is concerned about miscarriage, blighted ovum, or ectopic pregnancy, the gestational sac and fetal pole (if visible) will be measured to determine what type of development should be seen. The guideline is that if the gestational sac measures >16-18mm with no fetal pole or the fetal pole measures 5mm with no heartbeat (by vaginal ultrasound), then a diagnosis of miscarriage or blighted ovum is made. If the fetal pole is too small to take an accurate measurement, then a repeat scan should be done in 3-5 days. If there is an absence of a fetal pole, then further testing should be done to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy.
View complete answer

What happens if baby’s heart rate is low

Get Help From An Experienced Birth Injury Lawyer – Birth injuries that result from bradycardia during labor and delivery can be devastating to families. The cost of medical care, some that may be required for a lifetime, is huge – many times more than a family can handle.

Additionally, medical conditions caused by a low fetal heart rate that isn’t properly treated will be physically challenging for the child and emotionally challenging for the whole family. While financial compensation won’t make up for the suffering the family goes through, it can certainly help relieve the financial burden the parents face.

That’s why finding an experienced birth injury attorney is so important in cases of bradycardia that resulted in injuries. At Ross Feller Casey, we have those experienced birth injury attorneys as well as medical doctors on staff to review medical records.

1. Let us help you with your case.
2. We can determine if yours is a case of medical malpractice.
3. And, if it is, we will help you secure the compensation that you deserve – as we have with many other families who have also experienced bradycardia-related injuries.
4. Contact our office today to schedule your free case review with one of our birth injury lawyers,

All our medical malpractice cases are handled on a contingency basis, which means you don’t have to pay anything unless we win. Disclaimer: Ross Feller Casey, LLP provides legal advice only after an attorney-client relationship is formed. Our website is an introduction to the firm and does not create a relationship between our attorneys and clients.
View complete answer

Can your stress affect your fetus

How can stress affect your pregnancy? Feeling stressed is common during pregnancy because pregnancy is a time of many changes. Your family life, your body and your emotions are changing. You may welcome these changes, but they can add new stresses to your life.

1. High levels of stress that continue for a long time may cause health problems, like high blood pressure and heart disease.
2. During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having a premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces).

Babies born too soon or too small are at increased risk for health problems, What causes stress during pregnancy? The causes of stress are different for every woman, but here are some common causes during pregnancy:

You may be dealing with the discomforts of pregnancy, like morning sickness, constipation, being tired or having a backache. Your hormones are changing, which can cause your mood to change. Mood swings can make it harder to handle stress. You may be worried about what to expect during labor and birth or how to take care of your baby, If you work, you may have to manage job tasks and prepare your team for when you take maternity leave. You may worry about how you eat, drink and feel and how these things affect your baby.

What types 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,

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 help explain why African-American women in the United States are more likely to have premature and low-birthweight babies than women from other racial or ethnic groups. Pregnancy-related stress, Some women may feel serious stress about pregnancy. They may be worried about pregnancy loss, the health of their baby or about how they’ll cope with labor and birth or becoming a parent. If you feel this way, talk to your health care provider.

How does stress cause pregnancy problems? We don’t completely understand the effects of stress on pregnancy. But certain stress-related hormones may play a role in causing certain pregnancy complications. Serious or long-lasting stress may affect your immune system, which protects you from infection.

Normal pregnancy discomforts, like trouble sleeping, body aches and morning sickness may feel even worse with stress You may have problems eating, like not eating enough or eating too much, This can make you underweight or cause you to gain too much weight during pregnancy. It also may increase your risk of having gestational diabetes and preterm labor. Stress may lead to high blood pressure during pregnancy. This puts you at risk of a serious high blood pressure condition called preeclampsia, premature birth and having a low-birthweight infant. Stress also may affect how you respond to certain situations. Some women deal with stress by smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or taking street drugs, which can lead to serious health problems in you and you baby.

Many women worry that stress may lead to miscarriage, the death of a baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy. While extra stress isn’t good for your overall health, there’s no evidence that stress causes miscarriage. How can post-traumatic stress disorder affect pregnancy? Post-traumatic stress disorder (also called PTSD) is a disorder that develops when you have problems after you experience a shocking, scary or dangerous event.

Serious anxiety Flashbacks of the event Nightmares Physical responses (like a racing heartbeat or sweating) when reminded of the event

Women who have PTSD may be more likely than women without it to have a premature or low-birthweight baby. They also are more likely than other women to have risky health behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, abusing medications or taking street drugs.

• Doing these things can increase the chances of having pregnancy problems.
• If you think you may have PTSD, talk to your provider or a mental health professional.
• Treatments for PTSD include medications and therapy.
• Can high levels of stress in pregnancy affect your baby’s health later in life? Some studies show that high levels of stress in pregnancy may cause certain problems during childhood, like having trouble paying attention or being afraid.

It’s possible that stress also may affect your baby’s brain development or immune system. How can you reduce stress during pregnancy? Here are some ways to help you reduce stress:

Know that the discomforts of pregnancy are only temporary. Ask your provider about how to handle these discomforts. Stay healthy and fit. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise (with your provider’s OK). Exercise can help reduce stress and also helps prevent common pregnancy discomforts. Cut back on activities you don’t need to do. For example, ask your partner to help with chores around the house. Try relaxation activities, like prenatal yoga or meditation. They can help you manage stress and prepare for labor and birth. Take a childbirth education class so you know what to expect during pregnancy and when your baby arrives. Practice the breathing and relaxation methods you learn in your class. If you’re working, plan ahead to help you and your employer get ready for your time away from work. Use any time off you may have to get extra time to relax.

The people around you may help with stress relief too. Here are some ways to reduce stress with the help of others:

Have a good support network, which may include your partner, family and friends. Or ask your provider about resources in the community that may be helpful. Figure out what’s making you stressed and talk to your partner, a friend, family or your provider about it. If you think you may have depression or anxiety talk to your provider right away. Getting treatment early is important for your health and your baby’s health. Ask for help from people you trust. Accept help when they offer. For example, you may need help cleaning the house, or you may want someone to go with you to your prenatal visits,

Last reviewed: October, 2019
View complete answer

Can stress cause heart defects in fetus?

Stress During Pregnancy May Raise Heart Defect Risk for Baby Large Danish study looked at women who had lost a close relative while expecting By Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) – Stress in mothers before and during pregnancy may boost the risk of congenital defects in their children, more new evidence suggests.

1. But the findings aren’t conclusive, and the effect – if it exists – appears to be small.
2. Still, “there are several studies now that show an association,” said Dr.
3. Edward McCabe, senior vice president and medical director of the March of Dimes, who is familiar with the results of the large new study.
4. It suggests there needs to be continued investigation of this.” McCabe said he’s not aware of any other research linking stress in mothers to a specific kind of birth defect.

Congenital heart defects, among the most common kinds of birth defect, include conditions such as holes in the heart and other kinds of problems. Most cases aren’t fatal, McCabe said, and physicians can repair some kinds of problems with surgery. In other cases, the defects don’t need to be fixed.

The new study follows up on previous research linking stress to this form of birth defect. The researchers looked at nearly 1.8 million children born in Denmark from 1978 to 2008 and tried to find out if congenital heart defects were more common in kids born to a specific group of about 45,000 women.

These were women who had lost a parent, sibling, child or partner between the approximate time of and delivery. Women in that group were slightly more likely than the other women to give birth to a child with a congenital birth defect, researchers found.

• Study co-author Dr.
• Jorn Olsen, professor and chairman of the department of epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the findings take into account the possibility that congenital heart defects may run in families and have killed some of the relatives who died.

Why might stress in a mother cause birth defects? Animal studies have shown that stress during the development of a fetus could affect heart development, Olsen said. It’s also possible, he said, that stress could lead women to do things that are risky to their unborn children, such as changing to a less healthy diet.

• McCabe said another possibility is that stress alters the DNA of the child in the womb.
• In the big picture, Olsen said, “this and other studies tell us to take care of pregnant women who experience severe stressful events shortly before or while they’re pregnant.” For his part, McCabe said it’s important for pregnant women under stress to talk to their physicians about quitting smoking, which they may increase because they’re anxious.

“We can’t modify whether stress is going to happen in our lives,” he said, “but we can modify certain effects of that stress.” The study appeared online March 25 and in the April print issue of the journal Pediatrics, Although it showed an association between maternal stress and risk of congenital heart defects, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Copyright © 2013-2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. : Stress During Pregnancy May Raise Heart Defect Risk for Baby
View complete answer

Can crying and stress affect unborn baby

– Having an occasional crying spell isn’t likely to harm your unborn baby. More severe depression during pregnancy, however, could possibly have a negative impact on your pregnancy. One 2016 study suggested that mental health issues like anxiety and depression during pregnancy may increase your chances of preterm birth and low birth weight,

• Another 2015 review of studies found a similar connection between mental distress and preterm birth.
• If you’re depressed, you may not take care of yourself during pregnancy as much as you would otherwise.
• If you’re not eating enough or getting enough nutrients, skipping prenatal appointments, or not moving around, your baby may not be getting adequate care.

It’s important to remember that depression is not your fault, and neglecting your health is a side effect of untreated depression rather than a conscious choice. We know you would never intentionally bring harm to your pregnancy. All this is just to underscore the importance of talking to your doctor, because there are treatments — ones that are pregnancy safe — that can help.
View complete answer