Although there are many factors that influence fetal development, research on the specific effects of prenatal maternal stress and resulting negative outcomes for fetal development will be reviewed. Although the scientific and medical communities are aware of these harmful effects, researchers are still in the midst of discovering the consequences of these negative effects on human development. An overall review of the literature suggests that this topic is still relatively new in research as most articles point out that despite the amount of current research studies, there are still many unanswered questions. Every second of fetal development during pregnancy is of extreme importance. This period of prenatal development is a time of change and growth with many factors influencing all areas of growth. Different stimuli that have long-term effects on development is a process known as programming. The goal of this first article (insert article name here) is to examine the idea of ​​programming and how the influence of stress impacts prenatal development. We start with a biological approach. Examining the role of the glucocorticoid cortisol in fetal development, the article states that they play a critical role in development and are associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, one of the body's major stress response systems. (Davis & Sandman, 2010) This cortisol increases in mothers during pregnancy and is important for brain development in the fetus. Although these glucocorticoids are important and essential for prenatal development, overexposure can lead to adverse effects, including emotional disorders in early childhood, deregulated responses to stress in childhood. There is much to discover about how exactly maternal stress affects the fetus in prenatal development. Works Cited Davis, E. P., & Sandman, C. A. (2010). Timing of prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and psychosocial stress is associated with human infant cognitive development. Child Development, 81(1), 131-148. Markham, J. A., & Koenig, J. I. (2011). Prenatal stress: role in psychotic and depressive illnesses. Psychopharmacology, 214(1), 89-106. Lange, A. (2011). Prenatal maternal stress and fetal and newborn development: a review of animal models in relation to human research. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 10, 326-340. Talge, N. M., Neal, C., & Glover, V. (2007). Prenatal maternal stress and long-term effects on child neurodevelopment: how and why?. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48(3/4), 245-261.