The influence of mental stress in pregnant woman exerts on fetus and infant

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<Objective> The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different emotional states during mental stress vs. relaxation on autonomic nervous activity in women and fetuses in late pregnancy by using spectrum heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.<Methods> Thirty-two pregnant women at 32 to 41 gestational weeks (mean age : 31.4 years, SD : 6.7 years) and 22 fetuses were studied. The mental stress method used was the Stroop Color Words Conflict Test (CWT), and the relaxation method used was guided imagery (GI). After 20 minutes of bed rest, maternal ECG and fetal heart rate (FHR) were recorded during the 3 states (Rest, CWT and GI) for 3 minutes. In pregnant women, data analysis of HRV in both time and frequency domains was performed, and the frequency domain shared of low frequency (LF : 0.04-0.15Hz) and high frequency (HF : 0.15-0.40Hz). The normalized HF power (high-frequency power/total power) was used as an index of modulation of vagal activity, and the LF/HF ratio was used … More as the index of modulation of sympathetic activity. At the same time STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory) Form-X state was measured just after the end of the states. In fetuses, data analysis of FHR in time domain and Doppler-detected fetal movement was performed.<Results> 1) In pregnant women, STAI was significantly higher in CWT than at Rest and was significantly lower in GI than CWT (p<0.001). 2) For women in late pregnancy, HF was significantly lower in CWT than at Rest (p<0.01) and was significantly higher in GI than CWT (p<0.001), and LF/HF was significantly higher in CWT than at Rest (p<0.01) and was significantly lower in GI ・han CWT (p<0.01). 3) In active phase, basal FHR was significantly lower in GI than CWT and at Rest (p<0.05), and both SD (Standard Deviation) of FHR and CV (coefficient of variance) of FHR were significantly higher in GI than CWT and at Rest (p<0.05).<Conclusion> These results suggest that emotional changes in late pregnant women affect autonomic nervous activity and that maternal emotions might have an influence on fetal reactions. Less