Mothers-to-be suffering stress in late pregnancy give birth to clumsier, more uncoordinated children, warned a study.
Their offspring's development can be affected by major events like divorce, moving home, losing a job or a relative's death.
Other major experiences which affect the last third of pregnancy can include financial hardship or marital problems.
Women who had to deal with three or more stressful events gave birth to the least coordinated children, said researchers.
They interviewed mothers-to-be when they were 18 weeks' pregnant and then at 34 weeks. The 2,900 children in the study were tested at the ages of ten, 14 and 17 using a ten-item movement test.