Moms-to-be, keep your toys in your cot

Published Nov 2, 2009

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By Jo MacFarlane

Women who throw temper tantrums during pregnancy are putting their unborn children at increased risk of heart problems.

Researchers say angry behaviour such as door slamming, shouting loudly, throwing plates and even binge eating while pregnant can affect the development of babies' hearts in the womb.

Infants born to mothers more prone to these impulsive and aggressive acts had less variation in their heart rates after birth, the research found.

Variation in heart rate is thought to be healthy because it indicates the body is flexible and adaptable to change.

Breathing

For example, different breathing patterns should affect the heart rate. But if the heart does not adapt to change, it is more at risk of disease and infection.

It is already known that adults who have a lower variation in heart rate are more likely to develop heart problems.

The researchers also say the hormonal changes in the body that trigger aggressive behaviour may pass through the placenta to the unborn baby, and could have an influence on the way cells develop.

The study, led by researchers from the University of Sussex, recruited 49 pregnant women aged between 22 and 39 from childbirth classes.

It concluded that: "The propensity for impulsive, uncontrollable outbursts of temper has effects on the physiological development of the unborn child. These may predispose the individual to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease."

The volunteers were tested to see how likely they were to develop impulsive, uncontrollable bouts of temper. The women were asked in interviews to describe how they normally dealt with anger and their brain activity was monitored to see how they responded to certain sounds and images designed to prompt a negative reaction.

It was found 22 women fitted into the angry category, nearly half of the volunteer group.

The researchers said this was a higher proportion than would be expected in the general population, attributing this to the fact that the study had been advertised as investigating the effects of temper on foetal hearts and attracted volunteers concerned about their anger.

After the women gave birth, the electrical activity of the babies' hearts was measured using an electrocardiogram, or ECG.

Newborns

They found newborns whose mothers were in the angry group had a lower variation in their heart rate.

Previous research has found that high levels of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, can lead to low birth weight, but this is the first time anger has been linked to development problems.

Professor Nick Peters, a cardiologist at Imperial College in London, said: "We all show a variability in heart rate and that affects how the nervous system controls things such as blood vessels and the force of the heart and blood flow.

"Less variation is a bad thing - although it's never been fully interpreted - because it indicates less flexibility and adaptability in our bodies.

"In adults lower heart rate variation is associated with heart disease."

Midwife Annie Francis, of Independent Midwives UK, said: "Raised stress levels in pregnancy are never good for mother or the child, especially if they become chronic.

"But pregnancy can be stressful and women need to have access to appropriate support and care to help them avoid angry situations.

"Yoga classes can help, but sometimes throwing a plate is just the ticket." - Daily Mail

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