Study: Stress during Pregnancy is defining the sex of the baby

As of old myths, a new study revealed the correlation of behavior and development of pregnant women connected with the wellness of their babies.

The ancestral belief of being in a good mood during pregnancy aids in the healthy development of the fetus inside the mother’s womb.

A new study published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed the physical and mental stress of pregnant women may affect the baby’s sex, prenatal behavior, and postpartum health for both the mother and baby.

On behalf of the study, nearly 190 pregnant women within 18-45 years of age have examined by the researchers. Their result suggested that the subjects are exercising Physical stress and mental stress at around 17% and 16%. The reasons are likely because of anxiety, high blood pressure, depression, and the intake of more calories in the carrying women.

In America, pregnant working women suffering more from anxiety that just doubles the percentage of stress. This extreme stress behavior affects the birth of a male child, posing more symptoms to become a girl.

The ratio of having a boy is 4:9 in the women’s physical stress and 2:3 with mental stress pregnant women. Generally, in the earlier days, there are 105 boys born for every 100 girls.

Pregnant women showing more symptoms of anxiety and depression also suffer from immature brain development of the infant. The womb is where the child grows influentially, says Catherine Monk, leader of the study in Colombia University Irving Medical Center.

Premature birth will affect the ordinary life of both mother and child. The verdicts also reveal that the occurrence of higher birth complications in stressful pregnant women affecting the immune system of mother causing nervous system disorder in the fetus.

Irrespective of the sex of the baby to be born, pregnancy stress affects the mother during postpartum that may lead to physical disparities. Monk says that according to the study, the cortisol stress hormone increases in the uterus while stressing more, which leads to neurological disorders and unhealthy growth of the fetus.

Mental health matters the most during pregnancy for the mother and fetus, Monk concluded in the study. The study adds about the social support for pregnant women from family and friends, helping them to recover problems they face may increase the possibility of the boy and also in the behavioral development of the fetus inside the womb avoiding postpartum disparities.