074 Prenatal Maternal Stress and the Fetal Brain

In this episode, Therese Markow and Catherine Lebel discuss her study of the risks of maternal prenatal stress for the developing infant brain, how maternal mental health can program the brain of a developing fetus, children’s brain structure and subsequent mental health outcomes.  

Key Takeaways:  

• There is a correlation between maternal depression during pregnancy and the thickness of her child's cerebral cortex.   
• Manage stress during pregnancy, especially early, with a strong support system including partner, family and friends.

"We know that kids born to mothers who had higher symptoms of depression are more likely themselves to go on to develop depression later." —  Catherine Lebel 

Connect with Catherine Lebel:    

Twitter:   @catherinealabel 

Website:   www.developmentalneuroimaginglab.ca/ 

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]