Psychological stress during pregnancy has been associated with poor maternal outcomes in the perinatal period, including anxiety and postpartum depression. Research also indicates that nature, including access to green space in urban areas and tree canopy, improves general health, maternal mental health, and pregnancy outcomes. Given the large inequities in access to green space in the United States, NINR-funded investigators conducted the first U.S.-based study to examine the association between urban residential tree canopy cover and perceived stress and mental health among women who are pregnant. They found that among urban, low-income, mostly non-Hispanic Black pregnant women living in Philadelphia, residential tree canopy cover was associated with lower perceived stress, but only for those with a history of depression or anxiety. These results suggest that neighborhood green space has the potential to serve as a buffer between stress and worsening mental health among this population, warranting further research into the effect of greenness on stress. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting a link to green space and mental health and may inform future urban planning decisions related to health, including maternal mental health.
Nguemeni Tiako MJ, South E, Shannon MM, McCarthy C, Meisel ZF, Elovitz MA, Burris HH. Urban residential tree canopy and perceived stress among pregnant women. Environ Res. 2021 Oct;201:111620. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111620. Epub 2021 Jul 1. PMID: 34216611; PMCID: PMC8485251.