Do Anxious Moms Have Hyperactive Children?

Folk wisdom always said not to disturb the peace of mind of pregnant women. To have them comfortable both physically and emotionally. As stress for the pregnant mother would result in harm to the infant. Scientists that conducted the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, hoped to find some truth in this folk wisdom.

The long term study was conducted on 3,199 children. The premise was that children who were born to anxious mothers were likely to show signs of hyperactivity when they enter adolescence or were aged 16 years. The mothers were categorized into “high anxiety” and “moderate anxiety” for the study. The study took place over nearly two decades and findings are still being sorted.

Findings of the study established that 11% of the children whose mothers suffered from high anxiety during pregnancy and the early life of the child, were likely to show the symptoms of hyperactivity. Although the link to ADHD was not so conclusive. Even mother showing moderate anxiety had 11% children more likely to be hyperactive.

This scientific study may not have high figures for linking anxiety in pregnant women with hyperactivity in their children as adolescents, but why take the chance? Just keep the mother to be happy!