July 30, 2019

expert reaction to study looking at moving house during early pregnancy and premature birth risk

Research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, reports a connection between moving house during early pregnancy and the risk of premature birth.

Dr Virginia Beckett, Consultant Obstetrician and Spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

“The findings of this large study show that women who move house during the first three months of pregnancy are more likely to have a premature birth, a baby with a low birthweight and/or a smaller than expected size baby. But most women who move house during pregnancy will have straightforward pregnancies and healthy babies. 

“It is important to note that this study only shows an association – the reasons for the link between moving house during pregnancy and poorer outcomes for some babies aren’t known.

“Moving house may disrupt a woman’s access to her GP or midwife, and the physical and mental stress may also contribute to these poorer outcomes, but more research is needed to determine the exact underlying causes and the effect on a woman and her baby.

“A significant number of women move house during pregnancy. It is recommended that women try to avoid doing too much, and, if they can, avoid stressful situations. It’s also important to ensure registration with a local GP and a midwife. Finding the time to relax and rest as much as possible and talking to a partner, friend or healthcare professional about any negative feelings are also recommended. Eating well, avoiding too much caffeine, and doing physical activity will also help to improve health and wellbeing during pregnancy.”

Dr Nadja Reissland, Professor in Psychology with a research programme in fetal Psychology, Durham University, said:

“The study seems well done but might have been improved by a more specific analysis of the data. For example, to cluster all those who moved house in their 2nd and 3rd trimester and after birth versus those who moved in the first trimester seems to be not helpful. It might be that moving in the 2nd or the 3rd trimester affects the fetus’ wellbeing differently. Also, an analysis of those who were forced to move versus those who voluntarily moved house, which the authors alluded to when they mention that poorer mothers have to move more often in the first trimester, could have been analysed in more detail. In sum, an analysis of more separate groups in this very interesting data might help in terms of advice one might give to expectant mothers

“This seems an interesting study and the main finding seems to relate what is well known about stress in the first trimester. Stress can be bereavement, natural disasters, money worries, etc, and of course moving house is another stressor. Interestingly it seems that if you are well off the stress of moving house seems to be less important than if you are poor. This seems to point to the fact that it might be stress in general which is the main factor, rather than whether it be moving house, or losing a job.

“So, the message to take from this study, and others which suggest that stress in the first trimester can result in a small increase in risk of negative outcomes in terms of gestation, birthweight, and to some extent growth, is to reduce or avoid stressful scenarios when it is within your control to do so. However, women should not worry too much if they have to move house as the increased risk of harm to their unborn child is very small.”

‘Residence change during the first trimester of pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes’ by Bond et al. was published in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health at 23:30 UK time on Tuesday 30 July. 

DOI: 10.1136/jech-2018-211937

Declared interests

None received.