A group of doctors from the University of Pennsylvania found that the placenta of a pregnant woman, in addition to its ability to absorb oxygen and various nutrients, is also able to perceive the stress experienced by the mother.
As a result, there is a change in the density of protein, a substance that controls the formation of the brain of the fetus. Scientists believe - this moment is the main, if you look at the problem from the standpoint of the occurrence of various failures in the nervous system. The risk of autism and schizophrenia is associated precisely with the stress experienced by a woman at the beginning of pregnancy. Under threat, above all, is the fetus of the male sex.
Recently, another team of scientists published their work on the effects of stress on offspring. Scientists have discovered the following pattern: stress in the mother increased the stress response in male children. At the same time, experts identified a biological marker, showing significant differences in the stress response in boys and girls.
The explanation is simple - the placenta of women who are waiting for the boy's birth does not contain a certain enzyme. And its function is precisely to protect the brain of the embryo. That is why, when a pregnant woman regularly experiences severe stress and becomes nervous, the risk of problems for a child increases several times. I would like to remind you that earlier studies of doctors proved that an increased level of the stress hormone can lead to premature labor.
