The research has indicated that HPA response of offspring to stress is programed by maternal care, and the mechanisms of this programing are modifications in the epigenome in regions like hippocampus. Transgenerational effects has been found, indicating that this programing is transmitted behaviorally, by epigenetic mechanism across generations. Some of the mechanisms involved in maternal care have been refered to the HPA programing in mothers, indicating a possible relation between anxiety behaviors (out of the nest contex) and the maternal care.
But, is the behavioral response to anxiety modified by pregnancy?
For example, anxiety evaluation in elevated plus maze could be widely different between a pre and pos test, by a pregnancy condition (with more than a month between evaluations)?
Of course. This comes as social behavior. Also visible in animals. In the postpartum period and during the care of the offspring of the perceived level of fear is greater.
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