Late babies and trauma during pregnancy .. anecdotal ..

[applejuice]

I have made an observation based on some ancedotal information...

My question is,

Is it possible for a pregnancy to go over the forty week mark because the mother suffered a trauma during the pregnancy and this trauma, physical or emotional, may cause the fetal development to slow down or stop?

Case 1. I have one friend whose husband left her for another woman during her third pregnancy; she suffered severe depression and anxiety - her baby was three weeks late, but was of average size and weigh and healthy.

Case 2. I have another friend who suffered a miscarriage; then the doctor removed her IUD, did a sonogram and told her she was still pregnant. She had lost a twin. She continued with the pregnancy, delivered a healthy baby girl, but she was three weeks late and came the day before she was schedlued for an inducement.

Case 3. My other friend had her baby nearly four weeks late - her husband was severely injured during her pregnancy, and her baby was also average size and weight.

Case 4. Still another friend's husband was gone on military leave, and she went a full 43-1/2 weeks, delivering when her DH returned to her. She was anxious.

I hope that I have expressed myself so that I am clear.

Can a physical or emotional trauma cause a pregnancy to slow down or stall its progress so as to make the pregnancy extend two or three weeks and appear to be "obstetrically" late?

[pamamidwife]

I definitely think that some women, based on experiences, can hold on to a pregnancy longer than they might have originally.

However, I also feel like sometimes women with extreme trauma/pain/grief can just as easily birth very quickly and smoothly.

I've seen people not birth until someone important arrives or leaves.

I'm not too sure about fetal development slowing at all, though. I do know that there is a sharp rise in stress hormones found in babies whose mothers experience pain, abuse, trauma, or grief. Perhaps this could, in fact, create some slowing of development. However, it is my personal belief that the onset of labor is more than just baby being ripe - so it could be *one* factor of many, I suppose.

Interesting!

[anothermama]

Hrm.
It makes perfect sense........I'd never thought if it before.

My daughter was nearly 3 weeks late and at the time I was single and the father had, at the three month mark, told me to abort her or he'd leave. Obviously he left and I went through a very hard pregnancy totally alone. My daughter was perfect and 9lbs 5 oz. Fast forward to three weeks ago when I delivered a baby of nearly the exact same size BUT this time I was in a marriage and delivered him only a couple days past his due date.

[Greaseball]

My brother died when I was 10 wks with #1. She was born 2 wks early, healthy, average weight. With #2 there was an average amount of stress brought on by stuff like school, finances, normal things like that, and she was 4 days late.

I like to point this out to people who are blaming themselves for their miscarriages or babies' health problems that they think were caused by not avoiding or dealing with stress. You can live with severe stress and still have healthy children, I believe.

[Evergreen]

I once heard of a mother who was jailed in China, and her baby stayed firmly inside of her for about a year, and she went into labor after she was released.

I forget where I heard this, so take it with a grain of salt, but I can totally beleive it.

[Greaseball]

T
I did hear that the longest human pregnancy lasted exactly 52 weeks.

[pumpkinhead]

I had a very difficult pregnancy. Initially I was quite depressed. I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself, because here I was, married for 6 months and pregnant (not a planned baby) and I was sicker and in more pain then I have ever experienced. Ds was almost 3 weeks late and weighed only 6lb 14.5oz.

From about 7 mos on, tho, I felt great (when on my anti-emetics) and was genuinely happy and over my little pity party...It's an interesting theory!

[khrisday]

Isn't there some type of animal that can hold of delivering their babies for a long period of time if they feel threatened? I remember hearing that somewhere. I don't see why humans would be any different, though.

[applejuice]

I do know that mammals, in general, can shut down labor if the mother does not feel safe. The mother moves to a safer location and delivers when and if the mother feels safe.

Our family had a mamacat who searched the house for a quiet place to deliver her six kittens - especially after I vetoed my bedroom for her!

Hospitals see this all of the time when a human mother is admitted in active labor; often labor slows down and the hospital responds with pitocin.

However I thank those of you who have responded. I have seen and heard of this time and time again, only anecdotally, and I guess there is something to it. Thank you, pamamidwife. It makes sense that "stress hormones" would affect growth, development and timing of delivery.

[party_of_seven]

I had a difficult pregnancy with #3. I had horrible probs with my gallbladder....so bad that it was removed during my pregnancy. I was completely stressed. I hadn't gained much weight at all. And because of the extreme pain I was in I ended up with some mild depression.

My dd was born 2 days past her due date, but she was only about "38 weeks" according to my midwife. She had more vernix on her than I had ever seen. I thought that was interesting since I knew the very exact date of conception because I was charting. She was also a pound smaller than her other brothers and sisters.

So, yes, I definately think that stress and such can cause our bodies to slow things down when it comes to fetal development.

[Leilalu]

I've seen that story. It's in the movie "China Cry". Her name was Nora Lam(not totally sure of the spelling though). She was a christian and was persecuted, which is what the movie is about. It's an incredible story. She just died recently. I only know this because she attended my church here in the Bay Area.
Leila

[saintmom]

I don't know about holding them in as much as letting go fast.Ds no6 was supposed to be a hb but the midwife wanted an ultra sound 2.5weeks before the due date.she had said I wasn't effaced or dialated.I was only at the docs an hour when I went into labor and delivered an hour later.Didn't even have time to get home :

[aira]

Not contradicting... But just to throw my story in the pot...

I had a car wreck 5 weeks before DS was due. I had conx immediately and the didn't stop for ages. I was hospitalized several times to stop them. He was born 3 days before due at 7+ lbs...

Sunny

[applejuice]

Thank you aira, you are not contradicting.

As I said in my OP, I just wanted to share anecdotal evidence.