Maternal Stress During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Impact on Maternal Health and Fetal Development

This book offers a comprehensive overview of how maternal psychological stress during pregnancy and postpartum affects both maternal health and fetal development. Drawing on the latest research, it explores how stress-related biomarkers like cortisol can cross the placenta, influencing the child's health from birth through adulthood--and even across generations.
Written by leading experts, the 15 chapters examine the biological and psychological mechanisms involved, including the HPA axis and brain-gut axis. Topics include the impact of stress on pregnancy outcomes (e.g., pre-eclampsia, prematurity, low birth weight), neonatal health (e.g., colic, altered gut microbiota), and long-term risks such as autism, ADHD, and cardiovascular disease.
The book also addresses key stressors--such as intimate partner violence, war, and economic hardship--with a focus on pregnancy-specific stress as particularly harmful.
Essential reading for clinicians, researchers, and students in maternal and neonatal health, this volume also serves as a valuable resource for policymakers and healthcare stakeholders.