Research suggests that anxiety during pregnancy can increase a mother's risk of having a hyperactive child. A study indicated that women who were very anxious in the last three months of pregnancy had children with more behavioural problems.
Lead researcher Professor Vivette Glover, of Imperial College, London, told that this only applied to women who had extreme anxiety, and were frequently feeling scared.According to a survey antenatal anxiety leads to the risk of hyperactivity increasing from one in 20 to one in 10. It is also significant to note that mood swings are common in pregnancy and that most mums-to-be will have times when they are worried."Professor Glover said children's behaviour was usually ascribed to either genes or parenting. She also said this research suggested there was a chemical element as well. "If the mother is very anxious this changes her chemistry, her hormonal levels. For example cortisol,a hormone can cross the placenta and it may well affect the development of the baby's brain in the womb," she further added that every pregnant woman should take time to rest and relax.
