Stress Response Differences Male and Female Child

A study by Australian researchers showed that children respond differently to stress. These gender differences also affect their ability to withstand the complications that can occur during pregnancy.

Since the uterus, the baby boys and girls showed different growth and development after the pressure coming from outside, such as smoking or psychological stress.

"Boys and girls respond differently to stress following the pattern of growth," said Professor Vicki Clifton Robinson Institute of pregnancy and Group Development.

In male fetuses, while the mother is stressed, it will pretend that nothing happened and continues to grow, something that could grow as much as he could. In contrast to the fetal girl, the response to the stress of his mother, who reduced their growth a bit.

"When there's another pressure in pregnancy, such as stress, due to other factors or the same source, she will continue to grow along fine, but man can not handle and the risk of premature or stopped growing," said Prof. Clifton.

He explained that the difference in growth response among children of men and women were observed by experts, especially in pregnancies with complications such as asthma, eclampsia, snuff consumption during pregnancy and the origin other types of stress, including psychological stress. According to him, the difference in growth patterns that occur due to changes in placental function that is triggered by a stress hormone, cortisol.

In female infants, the increase of the hormone cortisol causes changes in placental function that causes reduced growth, but the increase of the hormone cortisol in pregnant women that contain a child did not cause alterations in the function.

The results of this research are expected to provide appropriate treatment for specific types of gender-born babies to prevent a premature baby. It is also important to help doctors to assess fetal development more closely. "We are looking for something that can cause changes in the baby's growth, what is the cause and how to improve the health of mothers and unborn babies," he said.

http://kesehatan.kompas.com/read/2010/05/03/15511370/Respon.Stres.Bayi.Laki.dan.Perempuan.Beda