1 A woman will not necessarily experience the same symptoms in the same way in subsequent pregnancies as with her first pregnancy. 2  Certain symptoms, like absence of menstruation and weight gain, are common to all pregnancies. 3  Other possible symptoms of early pregnancy include.  mood changes,
Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels also increase risk for depression, mental illness, and lower life expectancy. This week, two separate studies were published in Science linking elevated cortisol levels as a potential trigger for mental illness and decreased resilienceâespecially in adolescence.
Your bodyâs response to stress is supposed to protect you. But, if it is constant, it can harm you. The hormone cortisol is released in response to stress. Studies suggest that the high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. These are common risk factors for heart disease. This stress can also cause changes that promote the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries.