COLUMBUS, Ohio — Approximately 20% of women in the United States face maternal mental health conditions, and chronic stress can intensify these issues. While the biological relationship between stress and mental health disorders remains unclear, recent research has identified several contributing factors.
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Researchers at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center discovered that chronic stress experienced during pregnancy alters the communication between the placenta and the developing fetus. This change affects the delivery of oxygen and essential nutrients to the fetus, potentially influencing early brain development.
The study found that prenatal stress modifies several placental pathways, including antiviral immune signaling, cellular energy metabolism, and gene-regulatory pathways. These alterations may illustrate the connection between maternal stress and fetal development.
Dr. Tamar Gur, director of the Soter Women’s Health Research Program and a researcher with Ohio State’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, remarked, “The findings are quite remarkable. We found that the placenta isn’t simply a passive organ. It’s an active communication system between the mother and fetus. Our research suggests that stress can shift that communication in ways that may matter for brain development.”
The investigation involved both mice and human placentas. Researchers examined how stress impacted the placenta and developing brain in pregnant mice through cell analysis, and then conducted similar studies on human placenta cells to assess parallels.
The research team plans to further explore how modifications in specific immune or energy pathways within the placenta can safeguard fetal development and intends to conduct broader studies on the subject. “We now know that pathways that help with stress are being altered. If we can uncover more of those pathways then maybe we can target a therapy that can help stop the transmission of stress,” Gur added.