Israeli researchers have shown that the fetus’s brain is impacted by the stress that expectant moms endure.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the finding made by experts from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) may lead to novel therapies or interventions that promote a baby’s healthy growth after delivery.

The research, which was published in the journal biochemical Psychiatry, found that stress experienced by the mother during pregnancy may “reprogramme” important biochemical pathways in the fetus, especially the cholinergic system, a network of nerve cells that controls inflammation and stress reactions.

Blood samples taken at birth from 120 babies and their mothers were examined by the researchers, who concentrated on tiny RNA molecules called tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which come from mitochondrial DNA.

These chemicals are essential for controlling how cells behave and react to stress.

According to Prof. Hermona Soreq of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, “we discovered that even before babies breathe for the first time, the stress their mothers endure can shape how their bodies manage stress themselves.”

Significant disparities between male and female newborns were also discovered by the research. Certain tRFs, known as CholinotRFs, which are involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter essential for memory and immunological function, were significantly reduced in baby females.

However, infant males had higher amounts of the acetylcholine-degrading enzyme AChE, which may indicate a worse ability to cope with stress.

Based on their RNA profiles, the researchers used machine learning to assess whether or not the newborn girls had experienced maternal stress during pregnancy with a 95% accuracy rate.

This finding might help explain why children who experience stress during pregnancy are more likely to have developmental or mental health issues in the future.

The results, according to the researchers, may increase awareness and result in improved care for stressed-out pregnant women, even if they do not have a formal diagnosis of anxiety or depression.