A new study by Bar-Ilan University shows how war-related stress may lead to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Key findings of the study
The study’s key finding is that stress has a physiological impact on the female body during pregnancy. According to researchers, stress activates the body’s emergency response system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This increase can disrupt various physiological systems, cause changes in blood pressure, trigger preterm labor, and alter the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, potentially leading to gestational diabetes.
