The Influence of the Emotional State of the Mother During Mental Stress vs.Relaxation on Pregnant Women and Fetuses : A Preliminary Study

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Questions of this research are :(1) Can the emotional states of the mother (the mental stress of the Color Words Stroop Conflict test method vs.the Relaxation of Guided Imagery method) influence pregnant women and fetuses due to fluctuations in Autonomic nerve activities?(2) Are the maternal responsiveness to fetal movements during pregnancy and the sensitivity to mother-infant interactions during the first days of life related?Results :(1)-1 The power spectral analysis of maternal heart rate variability (MHRV) was performed in 49 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies at 32 to 41 gestational weeks.After 20 minutes' of bed rest, the high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) components of the MHRV were compared in 3 states (rest, mental stress and relaxation) for 2 minutes. In the state of relaxation, the HF ratio was significantly higher and the LF/HF was lower than in the state of mental stress.(1)-2 The Doppler-detected fetal movement counts were compared in 2 states (mental stress and relaxation) for 3 minutes in 6 fetuses at 32 to 41 gestational weeks.In the state of relaxation, the fetal movement counts were lower than that during mental stress.(2) In case studies, maternal sensitivity to fetal movements during pregnancy may influence the mother-infant interactions during the first days of life.In conclusion, emotional change of the mother during pregnancy may influence fetal reactions.