Is it bad to get scared while pregnant

Stress and pregnancy | March of Dimes

Stress is a common feeling during pregnancy. Physical discomforts and other changes in your daily life can cause stress during pregnancy.

Some types of stress may cause serious health problems, like high blood pressure, and lead to problems like premature birth.

Learn about ways to help manage some stresses in your life like talking to your health care provider and asking your partner, friends or family for help.

How can stress affect your pregnancy?

Feeling stressed is common during pregnancy because pregnancy is a time of many changes. Your family life, your body and your emotions are changing. You may welcome these changes, but they can add new stresses to your life.

High levels of stress that continue for a long time may cause health problems, like high blood pressure and heart disease. During pregnancy, stress can increase the chances of having a premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces). Babies born too soon or too small are at increased risk for health problems.

What causes stress during pregnancy?

The causes of stress are different for every woman, but here are some common causes during pregnancy:

You may be dealing with the discomforts of pregnancy, like morning sickness, constipation, being tired or having a backache.
Your hormones are changing, which can cause your mood to change. Mood swings can make it harder to handle stress.
You may be worried about what to expect during labor and birth or how to take care of your baby.
If you work, you may have to manage job tasks and prepare your team for when you take maternity leave.
You may worry about how you eat, drink and feel and how these things affect your baby.

What types of stress can cause pregnancy problems?

Stress is not all bad. When you handle it right, a little stress can help you take on new challenges. Regular stress during pregnancy, such as work deadlines, probably don’t add to pregnancy problems.

However, serious types of stress during pregnancy may increase your chances of certain problems, like premature birth. Most women who have serious stress during pregnancy can have healthy babies. But talk to your health care provider if you have these types of stress:

Negative life events. These are things like divorce, serious illness or death in the family, or losing a job or home.
Catastrophic events. These include earthquakes, hurricanes or terrorist attacks.
Long-lasting stress. This type of stress can be caused by having problems with money, being abused, being homeless or having serious health problems.
Depression or anxiety. Depression is a medical condition that causes feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you like to do. It can affect how you feel, think and act and can interfere with your daily life. It needs treatment to get better. Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear of things that may happen. Both conditions may make it hard to take care of yourself and your baby. Depression and anxiety are common and treatable so talk to your provider if you feel depressed or anxious. If you have these conditions before pregnancy, talk to your provider before stopping or starting any medications. Quitting suddenly can cause serious problems for you and your baby. If you need to stop taking medicine or switch medicines, your health care provider can help you make changes safely.
Neighborhood stress. Some women may have stress from living in a neighborhood with poverty and crime.
Racism. Some women may face stress from racism during their lives. This may help explain why African-American women in the United States are more likely to have premature and low-birthweight babies than women from other racial or ethnic groups.
Pregnancy-related stress. Some women may feel serious stress about pregnancy. They may be worried about pregnancy loss, the health of their baby or about how they’ll cope with labor and birth or becoming a parent. If you feel this way, talk to your health care provider.

How does stress cause pregnancy problems?

We don’t completely understand the effects of stress on pregnancy. But certain stress-related hormones may play a role in causing certain pregnancy complications. Serious or long-lasting stress may affect your immune system, which protects you from infection. This can increase the chances of getting an infection of the uterus. This type of infection can cause premature birth.

Other ways stress can cause pregnancy problems include:

Normal pregnancy discomforts, like trouble sleeping, body aches and morning sickness may feel even worse with stress
You may have problems eating, like not eating enough or eating too much. This can make you underweight or cause you to gain too much weight during pregnancy. It also may increase your risk of having gestational diabetes and preterm labor.
Stress may lead to high blood pressure during pregnancy. This puts you at risk of a serious high blood pressure condition called preeclampsia, premature birth and having a low-birthweight infant.
Stress also may affect how you respond to certain situations. Some women deal with stress by smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or taking street drugs, which can lead to serious health problems in you and you baby.

Many women worry that stress may lead to miscarriage, the death of a baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy. While extra stress isn't good for your overall health, there's no evidence that stress causes miscarriage.

How can post-traumatic stress disorder affect pregnancy?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (also called PTSD) is a disorder that develops when you have problems after you experience a shocking, scary or dangerous event. These events may include rape, abuse, a natural disaster, a terrorist attack or the death of a loved one. People with PTSD may have:

Serious anxiety
Flashbacks of the event
Nightmares
Physical responses (like a racing heartbeat or sweating) when reminded of the event

Women who have PTSD may be more likely than women without it to have a premature or low-birthweight baby.^{They also are more likely than other women to have risky health behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, abusing medications or taking street drugs. Doing these things can increase the chances of having pregnancy problems. If you think you may have PTSD, talk to your provider or a mental health professional. Treatments for PTSD include medications and therapy.}

Can high levels of stress in pregnancy affect your baby’s health later in life?

Some studies show that high levels of stress in pregnancy may cause certain problems during childhood, like having trouble paying attention or being afraid.^{It’s possible that stress also may affect your baby’s brain development or immune system.}

How can you reduce stress during pregnancy?

Here are some ways to help you reduce stress:

Know that the discomforts of pregnancy are only temporary. Ask your provider about how to handle these discomforts.
Stay healthy and fit. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise (with your provider’s OK). Exercise can help reduce stress and also helps prevent common pregnancy discomforts.
Cut back on activities you don’t need to do. For example, ask your partner to help with chores around the house.
Try relaxation activities, like prenatal yoga or meditation. They can help you manage stress and prepare for labor and birth.
Take a childbirth education class so you know what to expect during pregnancy and when your baby arrives. Practice the breathing and relaxation methods you learn in your class.
If you’re working, plan ahead to help you and your employer get ready for your time away from work. Use any time off you may have to get extra time to relax.

The people around you may help with stress relief too. Here are some ways to reduce stress with the help of others:

Have a good support network, which may include your partner, family and friends. Or ask your provider about resources in the community that may be helpful.
Figure out what’s making you stressed and talk to your partner, a friend, family or your provider about it.
If you think you may have depression or anxiety talk to your provider right away. Getting treatment early is important for your health and your baby’s health.
Ask for help from people you trust. Accept help when they offer. For example, you may need help cleaning the house, or you may want someone to go with you to your prenatal visits.

Last reviewed: October, 2019

Pregnant And Scared – 10 Things You Shouldn’t Worry About While Pregnant

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Being pregnant and scared is normal – most expecting mothers have fears and doubts about this significant life change. Can I continue working out? Am I eating enough? Will stress affect my baby’s health? Above all, there is the fear of miscarriage. If these fears resonate with you and you are constantly plagued by negative, worrisome thoughts, this article is perfect for you. Below, we have compiled the ten most common things pregnant women worry about that are not a big deal.

Get ready to leave your thoughts of pregnancy complications behind. By the end of this article, you will feel more confident, stress-free, and ready to tackle the challenges of motherhood.

Keep on scrolling for the rest.

Pregnancy can be one of the most beautiful and life-altering times of a woman’s life. However, for some ladies, it can cause tremendous anxiety and fear. While it is normal to experience some degree of worry and anticipation during pregnancy, some soon-to-be mothers may deal with overwhelming fears that can have debilitating side effects. Often, a pregnancy concern can stem from the mother’s imagination, and it is not based on real-life facts.

That said, whether you are pregnant or scared, or worry-free, it is essential to consult a trained professional at a reliable clinic. If you are looking for the best healthcare providers in the area, check out the highest-rated Obstetrician at Palm Beach, FL.

To compile the list below, we have looked and asked around for the top pregnancy concern. Here are the results.

The Fear of a Miscarriage

Without a doubt, the number one pregnancy concern that women worry about is losing the baby before birth. The good news is that, on average, less than 20 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage. According to the experts, most women lose their babies within the initial few weeks of pregnancy.

That said, the fear of a miscarriage is real, and losing your baby is possible. That is why it is crucial to stay on track with your regular OB-GYN appointments. Also, choosing a reliable healthcare professional at a safe and clean clinic will make a massive difference in your pregnancy experience. Here is some more good news: After the doctor notices a heartbeat (typically around the six to eight-week mark), the miscarriage risk drops to approximately five percent. Do you still have a fear of miscarriage? If you are a smoker, make sure to cut out tobacco use. Moreover, stop drinking alcohol and consume less caffeine (around 200mg or less). Better yet, do not drink coffee or consume caffeine-rich foods during your pregnancy.

The Fear of Being a “Bad” Mother

Another common pregnancy concern is that you will not be an adequate mother for your future child. This fear may typically stem from previous experiences or childhood trauma. Maybe you are already a mother, and you made mistakes parenting your older children. Or perhaps you were raised in a toxic household, and your pregnancy concern is that you will be just like your parents or caretakers. The truth is that none of us are perfect, and there is no course on how to be the ideal mother. Just give your best and provide your child with love and support.

The Fear of Not Feeding the Baby Enough Due to Morning Sickness

You are experiencing frequent morning sickness, and now you are pregnant and scared. You may be asking yourself: “is my baby able to absorb the nutrients from the food?”. Worry not. According to the experts, babies do an excellent job at absorbing the nutrients from the foods you consume. That said, make sure to take prenatal vitamins recommended by your doctor and consume smaller, more frequent meals.

The Fear of Pregnancy Complications like Preeclampsia

Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, severe high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes cause tremendous fear for upcoming mothers. The truth is that the risk of developing complications such as preeclampsia is only around five to eight percent! If you are pregnant and worried, keep going to your prenatal checkups for regular health updates.

In the case of gestational diabetes, you will want to implement dietary changes such as limiting your starchy carbohydrate intake. Talk to your doctor for the details.

The Fear of Not Giving the Baby Proper Nutrition

One of the most common first trimester worries is that you are not consuming the “right foods” to ensure the proper growth of your baby. Although there are certain foods and drinks you should avoid or minimize during pregnancy, there is no reason to overthink your nutritional choices. Always make sure to talk to your doctor about your eating regime.

That said, some women may also have first trimester worries due to risks linked to consuming unpasteurized dairy or coloring hair with certain chemicals. Your healthcare provider will guide you on what is safe and unsafe for your pregnancy.

The Fear of Your Stress Harming the Baby

The fear of miscarriage, congenital disabilities, nutritional deficiencies, lousy sex – all of these worries can cause stress to your body. Besides that, strenuous exercise and everyday stressors such as slow traffic and missed deadlines at work can make you feel anxious, stressed out, and overwhelmed.

Look on the bright side. According to most findings, intermittent stress or stress your body gets used to has minimal impact on your unborn child. On the other hand, severe or acute stress may increase the risk of premature birth. Overall, if you tend to get very stressed, find ways to relax. For instance, go to sleep early, talk to a friend, or go for a light walk.

The Fear of Bad Sex

As your body is slowly changing, you may also experience first trimester worries related to sex. You may start feeling nauseous, bloated, and constipated, all of which can wreak havoc on your self-esteem and performance in bed. Talk to your partner about your concerns and be transparent about your feelings. That said, sex during pregnancy can be one of the most amazing things you can experience. The sexual activity will not affect the baby as long as you are not dealing with complications such as placenta issues.

The Fear of Birth Defects

There is always a risk of pregnancy complications, such as congenital disabilities. However, the risk of your unborn child having disabilities is a mere four percent! This number includes severe and minor defects such as toenail problems.

Make sure to visit your doctor regularly. A screening test can help detect any pregnancy complications.

Your healthcare provider will recommend taking a prenatal supplement with folic acid before getting pregnant.

The Fear of Premature Labor

Unfortunately, more and more women are giving birth prematurely. On the positive side, over 70 percent of premature births happen between weeks 34 and 36 – the risk of developmental issues and other complications is much lower at this time.

Also, there are ways to reduce premature births. For example, quit smoking and alcohol use, go to your prenatal checkups, and consume prenatal supplements daily.

The Fear of Painful Labor

Some women will describe going into labor as the most challenging thing a mother will do, while others claim it is a “piece of cake. ” Firstly, realize that countless women have given birth before you, and it is a natural thing. Thanks to modern technology, there are ways to alleviate pain and make labor less complicated. Consult your doctor on pain management methods, go to childbirth classes, and talk to your friends who have given birth before.

Are You Ready to Become the Most Confident Mom Ever?

Motherhood can be a scary and overwhelming transition period for every woman. We are here to help you. Book an appointment with us today to receive professional help.

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Fears of pregnant women are overcome - nine useful tips :: Clinician

25 10.2017

Unfounded fears
Unnecessary alarms
Worries unsupported by arguments
Natural doubts

The time of pregnancy is nine months of happy expectation of a miracle, but sometimes the same number of months of fears and worries about the unborn child. In order to find joy and avoid unnecessary worries, to enjoy the gestation period, the necessary task is to get rid of the complexes, having determined the cause of the anxieties, to “quench” them. Mothers, husbands, relatives, of course, will help you (psychologically and physically), but the main mission to overcome your own anxieties lies with the pregnant woman.

The cause of anxiety is most often the physiological restructuring of the body, which leads to overwork, a weakened physical condition. This means that the expectant mother from the very beginning is predisposed to anxiety precisely in terms of physiological indicators. But understanding this phenomenon does not make it easier. The attending physician prescribes vitamins, trace elements, and in some cases hormones. It seems to be competent and according to plan, but ... it's still scary!

But what are these very fears and how to overcome them? How many pregnant women, so many fears. Not all have a logical background, some are based on myths and superstitions, and some are based on elementary ignorance.

Unfounded fears

A woman does not always plan pregnancy while leading a normal life. And when she finds out about an accidental pregnancy, she begins to count with horror the number of glasses of wine drunk, cigarettes smoked, what harmful food she ate during conception. Of course, the correctness of the recommendations indicating the need for timely planning of pregnancy sounds reasonable. But if everything has already happened, a decision has been made to give birth, then it is important to clearly understand that the wisest thing is to bring your psychological state into harmony and create favorable conditions for the development of the fetus.

Fear of miscarriage is an understandable concern. To identify the problem as early as possible, take tests every other day. The best arguments for well-being in this matter are indicators and numbers.

Futile worries

To drink coffee or not to drink - fans of aromatic grain drink exhaust themselves with this question, who cannot live a day without this drink. But every morning to tremble at this thought is definitely harmful to the unborn child. Let's look for an alternative. Is it better to spend the whole day at work sluggish and sleepy than to still dare to drink a cup of coffee with milk to cheer up?

Recent scientific studies have shown that a cup of coffee a day does not harm the child. Pregnant women are allowed to drink, but it is recommended to use it less often, in addition, use sparing options: instant coffee or no caffeine at all.

Taking medicine or suffering pain (discomfort)? Pregnant women are usually extremely distrustful when even doctors prescribe pills to them. Even after the time spent at the consultation with a specialist, some “pregnant women” discuss the medicines prescribed by the doctor on women's forums for greater reliability. In order not to panic and not look on the Internet for advice from pregnant alarmists whose competence you are not sure, it is wiser to find a doctor who you can trust 100%! The field of gynecology in our clinic is one of the most developed and intensive areas of work.

Anxiety unsupported by arguments

Does it seem to you that your belly is growing slowly or, conversely, is it too big? This is not a serious cause for concern. The main thing is that the ultrasound confirmed that the fetus develops according to the deadline. Also, pregnant women worry that they are gaining weight rapidly or are malnourished. Eat a balanced diet and get enough (again, with the permission of your doctor) to move, then the weight will be within the normal range.

When the baby pushes hard, it is scary at first, and if the pushes are weak, perhaps even more scary. Indeed, both may indicate hypoxia. Share your concerns with your doctor, a toned uterus is a solvable problem. Just in case, study the so-called "method 10", based on the calculation of the fetal heart rate. So you will participate in the process not passively, but meaningfully. By the way, it is in your power to actively help the cub: walk daily in the fresh air, sign up for an oxygen cocktail course. Most likely, this is how the child simply shows temperament. But if the reason is more complicated, remember that medicine can cope with such problems. Hypoxia (if it is not chronic) is amenable to medical adjustment, as a result of which the tension of the walls of the uterus decreases, and blood circulation improves.

Childbirth is delayed, and this is fraught with the fact that a woman is daily absorbed in listening to herself and looking out for harbingers in fear of missing the start of the long-awaited process. On the one hand, vigilance does not seem to interfere, but one thing is clear - it is impossible to miss childbirth, there is no turning back. Perhaps the day of birth is simply incorrectly determined, because pregnant women do not always know the day of conception exactly.

Natural doubts

Are you afraid of natural childbirth, scary and surgical intervention? Remember that most panic plans (not related to pregnancy) are implemented in a completely different way than your imagination draws, so fantasizing, winding yourself up is not a good idea. Even if the child is born as a result of a caesarean section, this sometimes happens. The main thing is that the birth is safe for the baby and the mother. To give confidence in this matter, it is useful to attend childbirth preparation groups with your husband.

The fear of not being able to cope with a new role is familiar to everyone who has “passed through” pregnancy. Long before the birth of a child, a woman begins to "try on" motherly cares. And a common misconception here is to make demands on yourself based on the image of your own mother. After all, you are unique, you have your own ideas about care and upbringing, dreams and dreams. Anxiety is unproductive, they take away strength, depress energy, instead read a book about the development of the baby. When he is born, there will be much less time for reading.

In preparing for childbirth, it is important not only to follow the doctor's recommendations, but also to overcome fears. Psychologists believe that awareness of the causes of fears and knowledge help to cope with problems, especially for women - “courageous”, thinking and hardy beings.

Top —9 fears of pregnant women - news from the Mother and Child Clinic

The waiting period for a child is both exciting and disturbing. Let's try to understand some of them.

Dear pregnant women!

Some reasonable level of anxiety is good, but together with your doctor, you can overcome your level of anxiety and achieve your desired goal - the birth of a healthy baby.

Fear No. 1. Anxiety during the day and dreams at night, suddenly something is wrong with the child

A high level of progesterone during pregnancy makes a woman vulnerable, sensitive, and sometimes depressed. There is no need to be nervous, as this can provoke a threat of termination of pregnancy, use a simple auto-training: repeat to yourself that there is no reason to worry. If this does not help, you can use sedatives: motherwort and valerian are not contraindicated in pregnant women, discuss the use of these drugs with your doctor.

Fear No. 2. “On the day of conception, I drank a bottle of wine. I'm afraid the wine might hurt the baby. Maybe now I need to terminate the pregnancy?

In the first 7 days after fertilization in the fallopian tube, the egg has not yet attached to the uterine mucosa, so the damaging effect of wine drunk on the day of conception is not necessary. If it happened that you drank 50–100 g of wine, champagne or beer at a later date, this is also not a reason to terminate the pregnancy. But for the future, remember - alcohol and pregnancy are incompatible. As soon as you find out about pregnancy - give up any alcoholic beverages. The constant or episodic use of pregnant alcohol leads to serious consequences for the child: from congenital alcoholism to serious malformations. Stop smoking as soon as you find out you're pregnant! But don't think about terminating your pregnancy if you smoked in the early days without knowing you were expecting a baby.

Fear #3. “My husband is 41, I am 39, and we don't have children yet. We would like a child, but I heard that if I decide to give birth, my baby will most likely be with some kind of deviation due to the age of the parents. Is it true?"

Indeed, with age, the likelihood of having a child with Down syndrome, Pattau, Edwards and other congenital diseases increases, but there is no direct dependence on the age of the parents. Many women over forty give birth to perfectly healthy children. There are a number of accurate genetic studies that make it possible to determine at an early stage that there are no congenital abnormalities in a child.

Fear No. 4. “My friend said that you should not treat your teeth, because after pregnancy and childbirth they will still begin to deteriorate quickly, then they will need to be taken care of. And she also says that during pregnancy you can’t take any medicines and I should be treated only with herbs. Is it so?"

Your friend is wrong. Preparing for pregnancy involves visiting the dentist in advance before pregnancy. Caries is a serious source of infection, bad teeth provoke tonsillitis, gastritis and other inflammatory processes that are doubly dangerous for a pregnant woman. To prevent tooth decay after childbirth, take calcium supplements, eat cottage cheese and cheese, and take good care of your teeth.

As for herbal medicine during pregnancy, it should be treated with caution. Not all herbs are harmless, for example, oregano can provoke a miscarriage. Secondly, there are conditions when traditional medicines cannot be abandoned. Of course, you should not drink painkillers for any tingling, but the harm that a sore throat with a paratonsillar abscess will cause to an unborn child is much more serious than the harm from drugs that cure it.

Fear No. 5. “I feel good and would not want to give up my usual active lifestyle because of pregnancy. For example, I want, as before, to roller-skate, to travel. And my husband says that all this is dangerous for me and for our child. Which one of us is right?

You are both right and wrong. From traumatic sports (rollers, skiing, cycling, equestrianism, diving) will have to be abandoned, because pregnant women need to avoid falls, bruises and any physical injury. However, this does not mean that you need to lie on the couch for all nine months if the pregnancy is proceeding normally. Swimming, gymnastics for pregnant women, walks are very useful - it is better outside the city, in comfortable environmental conditions. Long-distance travel is not contraindicated if the pregnancy proceeds physiologically, without complications. It is important to choose the right route and means of transportation. Kayaks, motorcycles, hot countries, conquering mountain peaks, direct sunlight are prohibited. It is better to choose a relaxing holiday with the usual food and climate close to Russian, without a big difference in time zones. When it comes to air travel, it is best to consult your doctor, as it requires an individual approach. One of the relatives or a friend should accompany you during the trip.

Fear No. 6. “At the beginning of my pregnancy, I ate chocolate bars. But recently I learned that mom's food habits affect the tastes of the unborn child. Now I am afraid to eat an extra cake or a piece of chocolate: because I can make my baby a sweet tooth!”

In this situation, there is a risk of giving birth to a child - paratrophy with overweight and a tendency to allergies, as well as realizing latent diabetes in the mother! Western publications publish information that the taste preferences of a pregnant woman determine the taste preferences of her unborn child. We can confidently say that proper nutrition during pregnancy and feeding is the key to the health of your baby. It is advisable to think over the diet to the smallest detail, include in it products that provide all the necessary nutrients, vegetable and animal proteins, vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables, and take carbohydrates in a limited way, including chocolate, which is a strong allergen.

Fear No. 7. “I was already in danger of miscarriage. Now, as the doctor says, she has passed, but I still am afraid of accidentally provoking a premature birth. For example, I read that it is necessary to prepare the nipples for feeding, but I am afraid that these measures would cause a miscarriage. Or maybe all these fears are unfounded?

You really shouldn't massage and stretch your nipples to prepare them for feeding. But you can use other effective and gentle methods. Sew canvas tabs from the inside to the bra, regularly wipe the nipples with a decoction of oak bark frozen in the freezer, take air baths. Stock up in advance with a special cream that soothes irritated and inflamed nipples after feeding.

Fear No. 8. “Already in the second month of pregnancy, hair began to grow on my body, my stomach was covered with a dark fluff. I started to get better, and my friends unanimously say that after giving birth I will become completely fat. Is there really nothing that can be done, and will you have to pay for the birth of a child with an attractive appearance?

The appearance of hair is a temporary phenomenon, a consequence of hormonal changes during pregnancy, after childbirth it will pass. After childbirth, only those hairs that appeared during pregnancy fall out, so you are not threatened with baldness. Not all women get much better during pregnancy and lactation, while following a diet, weight gain can be influenced. The diet during pregnancy is determined by the doctor, taking into account concomitant diseases.

Fear No. 9. “Many women are afraid of childbirth, but I am not. I have attended maternity courses and have my own midwife, my birth is planned from start to finish.