New York Jan 26: Stress hormones in the mother can affect foetal development a new study says. To test whether high stress levels in pregnant mice had an impact on their offspring pregnant mice received the natural glucocorticoid corticosterone at different times during pregnancy. Researchers found that increased levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones in pregnant mice caused the mother to eat more but reduced the ability of the placenta to transport glucose to her foetus. The findings show that maternal glucocorticoids regulate foetal nutrition. Higher glucocorticoid hormone levels in the mother can reduce glucose transport across the placenta and lead
