A study reveals that high cortisol levels in the third trimester of pregnancy may lower IQ scores in 7-year-old boys but improve scores in girls when higher urine cortisone levels are present. This research underscores the different impacts of prenatal cortisol and cortisone exposure on male and female fetal development. Research presented at the 26th European Congress of Endocrinology in Stockholm suggests that elevated cortisol levels in the third trimester of pregnancy could negatively affect the intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of 7-year-old boys.
Surprisingly, cortisol levels in the blood are not associated with IQ scores in girls, but higher urine cortisone levels improved their scores. The findings highlight the important role cortisol plays in fetal development in boys and girls independently. Prenatal exposure to cortisol — a steroid hormone that helps the body respond to stress — is needed for fetal development and is thought to affect cognitive function in children later in life.
During pregnancy, the levels of cortisol increase, and pregnant women carrying girls generally secrete more cortisol than those with boys. However, in the placenta, the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) regulates the amount of cortisol that reaches the fetus by converting cortisol to its inactive form known as cortisone. Study Details and Findings Researchers from the Odense University Hospital in Denmark have previously shown that children between the ages o.
