Fetal exposure to a mother’s stress results in higher rates of learning impairment, depression, and anxiety later in life. In the first few years of life, separating a child from his/her mother can result in higher levels of cortisol throughout life, while severe abuse can result in lower levels of cortisol. Although paradoxical, both states take a metabolic toll and can be tied directly to mitochondria, given that mitochondria initiate production of cortisol.
