AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Pregnancy can lead to practical challenges, such as financial difficulties, moving house and job changes. Emotional stresses such as grief, past anxiety, depression or other mental illness, can cause more stress during pregnancy, as can drug and alcohol problems.

Detailed explanation-2: -Studies regarding physiological stress found that total and free plasma cortisol concentrations increase dramatically throughout term labor and delivery. 4, 5 Total and free concentrations of cortisol were reported to increase 2-to 5-fold from 10 to 17 days prepartum to the end of the first stage of labor.

Detailed explanation-3: -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 baby who is preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birthweight baby (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces).