Influence of maternal distress during pregnancy on fetal development and mortality.
The children of 1,263 women whose applications for legal abortion in 1960 had been refused, were compared with the next children born in the same delivery wards. Thus paired, matched controls were obtained and the children were compared with regard to height and weight in relation to gestational age, prematurity, perinatal mortality and mortality up to 12 years of age. There was a significantly lower number of stillbirths in the proband series, which is probably due to an increased number of abortions of less viable fetus. There were no differences in weight and height development, prematurity or neonatal and subsequent mortality.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*