Name of study: Parental mindfulness programmes improve stress response in infants By who and where: University of California, San Francisco, USA

What does it say?
✥ It has been found that mindfulness programmes reduce depression and stress among pregnant women. 
✥ Infants, whose mothers attended a mindfulness-based programme, showed a better mental state and a healthier stress response at six months. 
✥ These offsprings had a greater ability to bounce back from adversity and had recovered quickly from surgery or illness. 

FOR

Mindfulness is huge

Dr Gayathri Karthik Nagesh, HOD and Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, Bengaluru 

Mindfulness helps both the expecting mother and her unborn child. The psyche of any individual is a product of their genetic makeup, environmental factors, emotional and behavioural parameters. Each of these plays a part in programming the emotional and behavioural responses of a baby. Hence, any peace-inducing practice that can be undertaken by pregnant women should be prioritised. It will enhance the quality of life of her baby for sure, while also bringing stability to her mind.  

AGAINST

Genetics call the shots 

Dr Indrani Salunkhe Consultant Gynaecologist, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central

The mental health of a child is not necessarily dependent on the mental health of the mother carrying it in her womb. There are also those women who are not mentally distressed who give birth to babies who are mentally unstable. An important deciding factor is the stress that the baby receives during labour. Sometimes prolonged labour of the mother can cause cerebral hypoxia in the child, which can also lead to a developmental delay. Proper nutrition is important as malnourished women are at a higher risk of giving birth to a retarded child. 

AJR