may affect a baby's brain health later in life, according to a new study. This comes as researchers have determined that high levels of cortisol can , making it more hypersensitive to stress. And the more hypersensitive the brain is to stress, the more likely an anxiety disorder is developed.

According to researchers from Harvard Medical School, the amount of stress that a pregnant woman has while she is is directly related to how a baby will handle stress as he ages.

The study, published in , showed how adults who were exposed to high levels of stress while in the womb could not regulate stress properly up to 45 years later in some cases. This evidence, coupled with a previous study by the same research team, in which evidence showed high levels of prenatal stress led to a higher risk of "depression, psychosis, and heart disease" for babies later in life, according to , clearly shows how important it is to keep stress levels manageable during pregnancy.

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These findings are important given the number of people who suffer from anxiety disorders yearly.

According to the , nearly 40 million adults in the United States suffer from an anxiety disorder every year. That accounts for just over 18 percent of the population.

And while the disorders are very treatable, according to the publication, just 36.9 percent of those suffering receive treatment. As a result of this, everything possible should be done as early as possible to prevent anxiety disorders from taking root.

Fortunately, according to the , researchers state that it is not the amount of stress that is important but "how a person handles it that matters."

As such, each pregnant woman needs to gauge how much stress is manageable for her in her daily life. Those who can handle high levels of stress without having physical effects from it likely will not put their babies at a higher risk for being "vulnerable" to developing an anxiety disorder, according to .

On the other hand, those who exhibit symptoms of being under stress, such as irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and more, according to , are raising their cortisol levels to levels that are dangerous to not only the pregnant woman but to her as well.

This is because while a certain level of cortisol is necessary for proper brain development and function, according to Medical Xpress, too much of it can alter the way the fetal brain develops. As such, the brain becomes more sensitive to stress as the baby ages, and depression and anxiety disorders can result.

While this information sounds concerning, and it is, there are ways to ensure that the risks of developing an anxiety disorder are minimized.

According to the American Heart Association, researchers state that while a good portion of the baby's brain development happens while in utero, another happens from the time the baby is born until the age of three. This means that with a nurturing family environment where a baby feels that his needs are being met and he is properly soothed when upset, the can be influenced to be less vulnerable to feelings of extreme stress or anxiety disorders.

While it is important to keep stress manageable during pregnancy to keep both mother and baby healthy, for those who are unable to do this, there are opportunities to mitigate the baby's risks for anxiety disorders as he ages. And by taking advantage of those opportunities, the baby has a good chance of being able to handle stress healthily, keeping the chance of developing anxiety disorders at bay.

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