Sex of Baby Drives Response to Pregnancy Stress
Researchers at the University of Adelaide in southern Australia have observed sex-specific physiological responses of in-utero babies in reaction to stressors during pregnancy.
The research group, led by Associate Professor Vicki Clifton, determined that the response of developing babies to stresses such as disease, cigarette use, and psychological stress, is a change in the baby’s growth pattern. However, the notable finding by Professor Clifton is that this adjustment of their growth pattern is different between male and female babies. Professor Clifton described the male response as the baby “pretending it’s not happening” and continues to maximize his growth potential, while the female response to the same stress is to reduce her growth rate slightly below average. Furthermore, continued stress or the addition of another stressor leads to differing risks of pre-term delivery, or fetal problems/death. While the female can cope with the increased stress and continue to grow to an acceptable state, the male baby is not able to handle the increased stress as well and is at a much higher risk of complications during the pregnancy.
Professor Clifton’s group observed this differing growth response in pregnancies where the mother introduced stresses due to asthma, pre-eclampsia, and cigarette use, but Clifton notes that the same effects are likely to take place in response to psychological stresses as well.
Clifton characterized the stimulus for the sex-specific growth response is the change in placental function due to cortisol; a stress hormone produced by the mother. The activation of the cortisol pathway causes changes in the placenta that reduce the female baby’s growth; however, this effect of cortisol on placental function is nonexistent in the case of a male baby.
The findings of Professor Clifton’s research group are important because they could potentially lead to “sex-specific therapies in pre-term pregnancies and premature newborns”. In addition to this, they clarify certain aspects of fetal growth in “at-risk” pregnancies, which can help obstetricians more accurately interpret the development of the baby in these special cases.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429092930.htm
The research group, led by Associate Professor Vicki Clifton, determined that the response of developing babies to stresses such as disease, cigarette use, and psychological stress, is a change in the baby’s growth pattern. However, the notable finding by Professor Clifton is that this adjustment of their growth pattern is different between male and female babies. Professor Clifton described the male response as the baby “pretending it’s not happening” and continues to maximize his growth potential, while the female response to the same stress is to reduce her growth rate slightly below average. Furthermore, continued stress or the addition of another stressor leads to differing risks of pre-term delivery, or fetal problems/death. While the female can cope with the increased stress and continue to grow to an acceptable state, the male baby is not able to handle the increased stress as well and is at a much higher risk of complications during the pregnancy.
Professor Clifton’s group observed this differing growth response in pregnancies where the mother introduced stresses due to asthma, pre-eclampsia, and cigarette use, but Clifton notes that the same effects are likely to take place in response to psychological stresses as well.
Clifton characterized the stimulus for the sex-specific growth response is the change in placental function due to cortisol; a stress hormone produced by the mother. The activation of the cortisol pathway causes changes in the placenta that reduce the female baby’s growth; however, this effect of cortisol on placental function is nonexistent in the case of a male baby.
The findings of Professor Clifton’s research group are important because they could potentially lead to “sex-specific therapies in pre-term pregnancies and premature newborns”. In addition to this, they clarify certain aspects of fetal growth in “at-risk” pregnancies, which can help obstetricians more accurately interpret the development of the baby in these special cases.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429092930.htm
posted by Joshua Mott at 8:10 PM
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