Social Support and a Consolidated Partnership as Protective Factors against Stress during Pregnancy and Further Consequences for Mother and Child

Several studies have convicingly demonstrated a deleterious effect of prenatal stress on the pregnancy outcome. In line with the “Fetal Programming Hypothesis” studies detected that prenatal stress isprogramming fetal brain functions associated with permanent changes in neuroendocrine regulation and behaviour in the child and adolescent (Literatur, Jahr) . Long-term consequences like ADHS or schizophrenia are associated with those changes Satz unklar! While the consequences and risks of prenatal stress are meanwhile well approved, there is only very rare literature about the character of the relevant pregnancy specific stress-factors. The objectiveaim of this study was to find preventiv or predisposing factors in stress coping. It investigated subjective, objective and hormonal aspects of stress, trying to find the criteria with the highest impact on pregnant women. In each trimester of pregnancy self-report questionnaires and anamnestic data were examined The self-report data included pregnancxy- related anxiety (PRAQ: so wird der international abgekürzt, perceived stress, life events, perceived stress (PSQ), pregnancy-specific stress (PESI), depression (EPDS), partnership (FPD) and social support (F-sozU). 111 women were included into the analysis.The findings show that a good partnerschip and social support seem to be the most important factors preventing pregnant women from emotional and psychological stress, independet from their objective situation. These results highlight the importance of a firm social enviroment and a good partnership as highly underestimated factors to minimize stress-related risks for mother and child.