Why you should not move to a new residence during pregnancy?
Babies do not like change – even if they have not yet been born. Even a small mistake in the first trimester can increase the risk of premature birth. This was discovered by researchers at the University of Washington.
If a couple gets a new addition to the family, the joy is great. But a baby needs not only love, but also space. Therefore, for many parents-to-be, pregnancy is first of all an occasion to look for a bigger nest. However, this of all things could harm the unborn child – and in the worst case trigger a premature birth.
Researchers at the University of Washington discovered a connection between pregnancy moves and premature births, as well as low birth weight. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Epidemiolody & Community Health.
Moving to a new residence during pregnancy can be dangerous
The first weeks of pregnancy are said to be particularly risky. In the past, several studies have shown that maternal stress in the first trimester has the greatest influence on the baby’s health – even more so than in advanced pregnancy. Therefore, the researchers from Washington concentrated on the data of 30,000 women who moved in the first three months of their pregnancy. These were compared with participants who had given birth to a baby in the same year but had not moved.
Avoiding stress in the first trimester
The study revealed that pregnant women who had moved in the first three months had a 42 percent increased risk of premature birth. The risk of low birth weight of newborns was also significantly higher at 37 percent.
If you can avoid moving in the first three months – that’s a good thing. Those who can’t: Don’t panic! The scientists also emphasize in their results that not enough information has been collected yet to issue a general warning. To this end, the explicit link between moving and premature births must be further investigated. Among other things, the researchers suspect an increased stress level and physical strain during the move as the cause of the link.
What do we learn from the study? Relaxation is important! The researchers recommend that doctors ask their patients more explicitly about moving plans and then recommend relaxation techniques. Above all, it is important to always listen to the little ball, even in stressful times – no matter how small the new family member is, he usually shows his mom exactly what is good for him. And if the little one wants to put his feet up – put your feet up and read our baby tummy column in peace.