Kristine Joy Chua

ABSTRACT SUBMITTED: Stress from the sociopolitical environment is increasingly recognized as an important factor that can affect maternal and fetal health during the prenatal period. This research examined how pregnant women in the Philippines experienced and responded to stress during a period of sociopolitical uncertainty. In the first study, fifty pregnant women were recruited to describe their experiences during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. Researchers also collected placental samples to investigate whether stress-related experiences were associated with changes in DNA methylation, a biological process that can influence how genes function. These analyses are still ongoing. A follow-up study with twenty-one pregnant and recently pregnant women from different regions of the Philippines explored how women perceived sociopolitical stress and the ways they coped with it. Participants did not identify the anti-drug campaign as a major source of stress. Instead, they emphasized challenges such as financial hardship and unequal access to healthcare. Many women described coping strategies rooted in Filipino cultural values, including reframing how they perceived stress and persevering through challenges in the hope of creating a better future for their children. Together, these findings highlight how sociopolitical conditions can shape pregnancy experiences as well as maternal and fetal health.