A new research found no link between anxiety and pregnancy or baby delivery problems. Even if more and more studies have investigated recently how emotional disorders act upon pregnancy period or birth, the present study found that anxiety does not influence in any way future mothers and their unborn babies.

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch reviewed about 50 scientific studies on the subject, written throughout a 39 years' period. The findings showed that women who have experienced anxiety symptoms before or during pregnancy did not encounter any uncommon problems.

Anxiety is usually a feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, agitation, uncertainty and fear. Symptoms of anxiety include feelings of increased tension, helplessness, inadequacy, fear, distress and worry, which are manifested upon the body through palpitations (rapid heart beat), trembling, sweaty hands and inability to sleep.

It is estimated that up to 6.5% of the world population has suffered from a diagnosable anxiety disorder, while many more people struggle with uncomfortable and distressing symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Lead author of the review-based research, Heather Littleton, stated: "Pregnancy can be an emotional time for women and, for some, anxiety associated with the pregnancy can be compounded by pre-existing difficulties such as having an inadequate social support system."

However, researchers at the University of Texas only investigated how pregnancy and birth related anxiety symptoms can influence the actual period of carrying a baby and delivering it to the world. But they failed to investigate if the no link between anxiety and pregnancy rule stays the same with women who suffer from chronic or acute anxiety symptoms and those who have anxiety disorders.

"This review of the literature clearly shows that additional research is necessary to completely understand how to best treat an anxious pregnant woman, and such work evaluating the mental and physical health of women during pregnancy could help to increase the number of healthy babies that are born," researchers said.