This retrospective study compares previous research projects which examined the impact of stress-based hormonal fluctuation during pregnancy on the offspring of the organism. Some of the studies experimented with hormone levels on rats, while others were more survey-based to draw conclusions about pre-natal and post-natal stress on human offspring.

The researchers of this project concluded that chronic stress tended to correlate with premature birth and low birth weight, in both animals and humans. There were also conclusions drawn with regards to alterations to the fetal environment and development, due to prolonged stress: children face developmental issues, such as slower walking and speech development compared to average; alongside other disabilities such as Tourette’s.