Conclusion
Good evidence shows that the emotional state of the mother during pregnancy, as well as in the postnatal period, can have long-term effects on her child, especially on neurodevelopmental outcomes. The mechanisms underlying such fetal programming are only just starting to be uncovered and, often, a limited correlation between psychometric indices and biological ones. Research is still needed to determine which interventions during pregnancy are most effective at improving child outcome. More needs to be done to detect and treat emotional problems and disorders during pregnancy. This will benefit the woman herself, and eventually will benefit the next generation also