A pregnant mother experiencing chronic stress may affect their fetus' iron homeostasis

 Chronic stress can reduce a pregnant woman's fetus' capacity to absorb iron by as much as 15%, says a study conducted by Seattle-based experts at UW Medicine.

In a June study, researchers from UW Medicine, Duke University, Germany, and Argentina discovered that while pregnant women's second- and third-trimester iron needs may rise eightfold, iron intake in fetuses can decrease by as much as 15% in women who undergo chronic stress. The researchers found that male fetuses are more affected by iron deficiency.

Because of this, pregnant women should keep an eye on their stress levels and try to relax through various methods. According to Dr. Martin Frasch, one of the study's lead authors and an affiliate assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, if chronic stress persists, women should think about taking iron supplements and monitoring the iron levels of their newborns after delivery.

“We established the connection between the chronic stress in pregnancy and the iron homeostasis of the neonate,” Frasch said. “The effect is mediated by maternal age and socioeconomic status or education in many cases, but it highlights the importance of more equitable healthcare during pregnancy as a powerful means to improve prenatal and postnatal brain development.”

Simply taking prenatal vitamins may not help, he added.

“That may not make up the deficit we’re seeing,” he said. “Almost half the mothers are iron-deficient, as it is.”

Frasch explained that foetuses are typically resistant to mild variations in the iron levels of the mother. He explained, "What we see here is that under conditions of prolonged maternal stress, male foetuses are less robust in managing their iron status than female foetuses, and we know this may have ramifications for their neurodevelopment after birth."

In Germany, 164 pregnant women who were classified as stressed or not were followed up on by the study. These women's foetal iron uptake was contrasted with that of a control group. At birth, the iron levels in 107 patients' foetal cord blood were assessed.

To fulfil the increasing demands of the growing foetus, the developing placenta, and the extra blood volume, the typical pregnant woman needs roughly 30 mg of elemental iron each day. This amount of iron, which is roughly twice what a woman who is not pregnant needs, is present in the majority of combination prenatal vitamins.

According to studies, up to 50% of pregnant women in affluent nations have iron deficiency, which can lead to low birth weight or damage a fetus's cerebral development. According to Frasch, stress has long been linked to altered foetal brain development. According to him, foetal stress has been related to later neuropsychiatric problems like ADHD and autism as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Frasch contributed to a study that was published in January and found that monitoring a pregnant woman's stress levels using a wearable device or through routine checks could help to avoid developmental delays in the newborn.

According to Frasch, the following study by the same research team will begin this summer and look at strategies to reduce stress in moms through the practise of yoga, meditation, and other relaxation methods.