A study presented at the 25th European Congress of Endocrinology in Istanbul demonstrated that high levels of the stress hormone cortisol during the third trimester of pregnancy might increase speech and language abilities in the first three years of a childs life. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the function cortisol plays in both fetal and infant development.

Early childhood language development can show how effectively a babys neural system develops in the womb. Prenatal exposure to cortisol, a steroid hormone that helps the body adapt to stress, influences fetal growth and brain development. On the other hand, the consequences of cortisol on early language development are unknown.

Researchers from Odense University Hospital analyzed data from the Odense Child Cohort on the cortisol levels of 1,093 Danish women during their third trimester of pregnancy and the speech and language abilities of 1,093 Danish children aged 12-37 months. They discovered that boys exposed to high cortisol levels in the womb could utter more words at ages 12-37 months, but girls understood more words at ages 12-21 months.

This is the first study to examine the relationship between maternal cortisol levels and language development in children across time, considering offspring sex and maternal educational status.

The researchers hope to investigate more to study whether offsprings’ exposed to high cortisol levels in the womb have better intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. The Odense Child Cohort also provides IQ test data for children aged 7 years.

(Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230513/Maternal-cortisol-levels-during-pregnancy-linked-to-language-development-in-children-over-time.aspx)