Increased prenatal exposure to cortisol and lifelong health consequences in women

Increased prenatal exposure to cortisol and lifelong health consequences in women
Cortisol (F) is one of the most fascinating hormones in the body. It is an immunosuppressant, yet elevated levels are needed for survival in sepsis. Although the extreme conditions of adrenal insufficiency and Cushing’s syndrome can have deadly consequences, recent attention has focused on whether subtle alterations in circulating F may have negative impacts. In reproductive medicine, F excess may link maternal stress to adverse outcomes in offspring. The following model has been proposed (1). Stress-mediated increases in the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis lead to increased circulating F levels.
Source: fertstert.org