Pregnant women develop health problems because pregnancy causes cortisol deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure.
Original statement
في الرئه زاد واحد بيكح كتير ليه الست الحامل بتضرب وليه الست الحامل بتظهر عندها المشاكل لانها بتخش في نقص الكورتيزون وارتفاع في ضغط البطن يعني الحمل بيجي >> بيعمل اضطراب في في اكسس في مسار
verbatim according to source. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.
Translation
Pregnant women develop health problems because pregnancy causes cortisol deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure.
Origin
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- الضغط الجوي atmospheric pressure وضغط البطن وعلاقته بأعراضك #ضياء_العوضي (Open source)
- Published
- 9 January 2026
- Timestamp
- 0:00:35 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
- Attribution uncertainty
- Transcript is YouTube CC or machine-generated (no timestamps); wording may contain speech-recognition errors. Speaker attribution within live streams/podcasts is not marked in the transcript; the excerpt was judged to be Elawady's own speech from context. Recurrence = number of archive transcripts matching the keyword pattern ['الحامل|حامل', 'كورتيزون|ضغط البطن'] (approximate; includes re-uploads/clips; 10 distinct text passages).
- Claimed mechanism
Cortisol deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure during pregnancy.
- Claimed health effect
Health problems in pregnancy.
- Population concerned
Pregnant women.
- Geographic restriction by Elawady
none found; he does not limit this statement to a country or to a production system
Diverging source versions
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- ارتفاع ضغط البطن والاضطراب الهرموني وظهور كل ماهو مناعي #ضياء_العوضي (Open source)
- Published
- 10 January 2026
- Timestamp
- not available (transcript has no timings)
- Attribution uncertainty
- Further video in which the same statement recurs; no excerpt recorded. Archive transcript without timestamps.
Scientific assessment
Mostly false – Essential parts of the statement are not supported by the evidence or are strongly exaggerated.
Certainty of evidence: moderate – Further research may still affect the assessment.
1. What was claimed?
Pregnant women develop health problems because pregnancy causes cortisol deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure.
2. What is demonstrably correct?
The growing uterus raises intra-abdominal pressure in late pregnancy; a review describes this as a chronically compensated physiological state to which most women adapt, notes that normal values are lacking and treats a link with pre-eclampsia as an unproven hypothesis (I-INTB-23). A small Sri Lankan study measured intra-abdominal pressure of about 12.7 mmHg at term, in the range defined as intra-abdominal hypertension in non-pregnant people, and somewhat higher values in women with high blood pressure (I-SRC-119; cross-sectional, 70 women, not causal).
3. What is wrong or exaggerated?
Pregnancy does not cause cortisol deficiency: total plasma cortisol rose progressively to about three times control levels in the third trimester and free cortisol rose 1.6-fold (I-INTB-22). Pregnancy complications (e.g. pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, anaemia) have multiple established causes; a single explanation by 'cortisol deficiency and abdominal pressure' is not supported. Endocrine reviews describe normal pregnancy as a state of sustained physiological hypercortisolaemia, with free cortisol rising progressively (I-SRC-129).
4. What remains unclear?
Whether raised intra-abdominal pressure contributes to pre-eclampsia or other complications is not known (I-INTB-23).
5. Which studies support it?
I-INTB-23, I-SRC-119 (only for the narrow point that intra-abdominal pressure rises in late pregnancy; neither shows that it causes complications or concerns cortisol).
6. Which studies contradict it?
7. What applies to Germany and Europe?
Not region-specific.
8. What is known about Egypt?
Not region-specific.
9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?
Pregnant women should attend regular prenatal care; symptoms such as headache, swelling, high blood pressure or abdominal pain need medical assessment.
Assessment details
- Rationale for certainty of evidence
Longitudinal measurements show that total and free cortisol rise, not fall, during pregnancy (I-INTB-22); this is a small study but consistent with established physiology. Raised intra-abdominal pressure in pregnancy is plausible but under-studied, and its role in complications is a hypothesis (I-INTB-23).
- Source quality
Machine transcript of a live stream; wording may contain recognition errors; meaning checked in context.
- Regional transferability
Universal physiology.
- Individual exceptions
Rare women have adrenal insufficiency in pregnancy; this is a specific disease, not a general effect of pregnancy.
- Regional scope of the claim
- general (biological/medical)
- Last reviewed
- 26 October 2026 provisional
Scientific evidence in detail
Scientifically refuted – High-quality evidence shows the opposite, or the claim contradicts well-established physiology.
Research question: Do pregnant women develop health problems because pregnancy causes cortisol deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure?
Research question in detail (PECO)
- Population
- Pregnant women
- Intervention or exposure
- Pregnancy-related changes in cortisol and intra-abdominal pressure
- Comparison
- Non-pregnant state / normotensive pregnancy
- Geographic scope
- universal biology
- Outcomes
- Plasma and free cortisol
- Intra-abdominal pressure
- Pregnancy complications (e.g. hypertension)
Study results as reported by the authors. Our assessment follows below.
What speaks for the claim?
Belly pressure in late pregnancy and high blood pressure
Jayasundara S et al.. PLoS One 2023 · PMID 37851647 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0284230 Cross-sectional studyfull text checkednewly addedCross-sectional IAP study in 70 women having caesarean delivery (full text).
- Actual result
- Term IAP 12.7 mmHg in normotensive women (intra-abdominal-hypertension range for non-pregnant people); hypertensive women +1.6 mmHg antepartum (p=0.268), +2.5 mmHg postpartum (p=0.018).
- Methodological quality
- low (small, cross-sectional; reporting errors)
- Relevance
- direct for the pressure part only
- Limitations
- No causal inference; no cortisol data.
Abdominal pressure in pregnancy
Chun R, Kirkpatrick AW. Ann Intensive Care 2012 · PMID 22873421 · DOI 10.1186/2110-5820-2-S1-S5 Narrative reviewfull text, structured risk-of-bias assessmentReview of IAP in pregnancy.
- Actual result
- Pregnancy regarded as a chronically compensated state of intra-abdominal hypertension; link with pre-eclampsia hypothetical.
- Methodological quality
- low (narrative)
- Relevance
- indirect
- Limitations
- Few data.
What speaks against the claim?
Cortisol rises during pregnancy
Jung C et al.. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011 · PMID 21367926 · DOI 10.1210/jc.2010-2395 Cohort studyabstract checkedLongitudinal cortisol study.
- Actual result
- Total plasma cortisol about 3-fold higher in the third trimester; free cortisol 1.6-fold.
- Methodological quality
- moderate (small but consistent with physiology)
- Relevance
- direct
- Limitations
- Small.
Cortisol rises in normal pregnancy
Lee JH et al.. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2023 · PMID 35816262 · DOI 10.1007/s11154-022-09745-6 Narrative reviewabstract checkednewly addedEndocrine review of adrenal function in pregnancy.
- Actual result
- Pregnancy is a state of sustained physiological hypercortisolaemia; free cortisol rises progressively.
- Methodological quality
- moderate (narrative, consistent)
- Relevance
- direct
- Limitations
- Narrative.
What does the overall evidence say?
Editorial assessment based on the studies above – not itself a study result.
Which position is better supported?
Cortisol rises in pregnancy; raised abdominal pressure is real in late pregnancy but its role in complications is unproven.
Why some studies weigh more
Direct measurements of cortisol outweigh the asserted deficiency; the IAP evidence is weak and cross-sectional.
Is a causal relationship established? Not established No evidence that pregnancy problems are caused by cortisol deficiency; IAP causality untested.
Remaining uncertainty
Whether IAP contributes to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Justified conclusion
The cortisol part is wrong; the abdominal-pressure idea is a hypothesis with weak support; pregnancy complications have multiple established causes.
Does this depend on the country?
- General biological effects
- Universal physiology.
- Eating habits
- Not applicable.
- Origin of the food
- Not applicable.
- Contaminants
- Not applicable.
- National production conditions
- Not applicable.
- Legal rules
- Not applicable.
- Actual monitoring data
- No Egyptian data.
A regional difference that changes the conclusion is not supported by robust data.
Statistical re-check
- Plausibility of reported CI and interpretation of regression coefficient – Abstract postpartum CI (11.6-13.8) excludes its own mean 7.3 (copy error; full text 6.5-8.0); '1.6 times higher IAP' is an additive 1.6 mmHg (~13%), not significant recalculated
Certainty of the overall evidence (GRADE, simplified)
- Main outcome
- Maternal cortisol level in pregnancy
- Starting level
- low (observational studies)
- Reasons for downgrading
- imprecision: small longitudinal studies
- Reasons for upgrading
- large, consistent effect (about threefold rise)
- Result
- moderate
Simplified assessment by a single reviewer, following the GRADE approach; not a formal GRADE panel. GRADE rates the body of evidence for one outcome, not individual studies.
Clinical guidelines and official statements checked
- WHO: WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience (2016) · Original publication
Publication page: guideline covering nutrition, maternal and fetal assessment, preventive measures and common physiological symptoms in antenatal care (detailed recommendations not read).
Search strategy
Documented literature searches for this review (search strings in the original database syntax).
| Database | Date | Search | Looking for | Hits | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe PMC | 26 October 2026 | (cortisol) AND (pregnancy) AND ("adrenal insufficiency" OR "lower cortisol" OR "reduced cortisol" OR hypocortisolism) AND (preeclampsia OR "pre-eclampsia" OR complications) | supporting evidence | 2091 | |
| Europe PMC | 26 October 2026 | ("intra-abdominal pressure" OR "intraabdominal pressure") AND (pregnan*) AND (preeclampsia OR "pre-eclampsia" OR hypertension) | supporting evidence | 2204 | |
| PubMed | 26 October 2026 | maternal cortisol across pregnancy longitudinal free cortisol trimester reference | contradicting evidence | 0 | |
| PubMed | 26 October 2026 | adrenal insufficiency in pregnancy diagnosis management review | both directions | 63 | |
| Europe PMC | 26 October 2026 | (cortisol) AND (pregnancy OR pregnant) AND (longitudinal OR trimester) AND ("free cortisol" OR "salivary cortisol" OR "hair cortisol") AND (increase OR rise) | contradicting evidence | 2809 | |
| WHO website | 26 October 2026 | WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience (publication page) | guidelines | 1 |
Open questions
Prospective IAP measurements and hypertensive disorders.
How deeply was this checked?
4 linked studies: 2 checked in full text (1 of them with a structured risk-of-bias assessment), 2 on the basis of the abstract, 0 bibliographically only. No formal assessment with two independent reviewers and no independent human expert review has taken place yet.
Last scientific review: 26 October 2026
History of the verdict
- 25 October 2026 · Phase 1 · Initial assessment: Mostly false (moderate)
- 26 October 2026 · Phase 4 (systematic evidence review) · Re-examined with extended evidence; verdict unchanged: Mostly false (moderate)
Endocrine review and an IAP study (with reporting errors) refine both parts; verdict and certainty unchanged.
New sources: I-SRC-119 I-SRC-129
In plain language
Dr. Elawady said pregnant women get health problems because pregnancy lowers cortisol and raises the pressure in the belly. Measurements show the opposite for cortisol: it rises about threefold during pregnancy. The growing womb may raise belly pressure, and researchers have asked whether this plays a role in some complications, but this is not proven. Pregnancy problems have many causes and need regular medical check-ups.
Studies on this claim
Studies supporting the claim (0)
No studies in this group.
Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (2)
-
Cortisol rises during pregnancy
Jung C et al.. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011 · PMID 21367926 · DOI 10.1210/jc.2010-2395Cohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked★ key studyTotal cortisol rose about threefold and free cortisol 1.6-fold by the third trimester.
Cortisol rises about 3-fold.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Measure cortisol in pregnancy
- How was the study done?
Longitudinal study
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
20 pregnant women + controls
- What was actually found?
Cortisol rises progressively
- How large was the observed effect?
3-fold total; 1.6-fold free
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
In normal pregnancy the body makes more cortisol, not less.
- What are the study's limitations?
Small study; abstract only
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts 'cortisol deficiency in pregnancy'.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Does not address rare adrenal insufficiency in pregnancy.
-
Cortisol rises in normal pregnancy
Lee JH et al.. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2023 · PMID 35816262 · DOI 10.1007/s11154-022-09745-6Narrative reviewindependent cross-checkabstract checkedNormal pregnancy raises cortisol, including the free active form; true adrenal insufficiency is a separate, rare disease.
Pregnancy is a state of physiological hypercortisolaemia.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Review adrenal function in pregnancy
- How was the study done?
Narrative review
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
not applicable
- What was actually found?
Physiological high cortisol in pregnancy
- How large was the observed effect?
not applicable
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Pregnancy does not cause cortisol deficiency
- What are the study's limitations?
Narrative
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts the cortisol part
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High
No study in this group is marked as key.
Studies with mixed or unclear results (2)
-
Abdominal pressure in pregnancy
Chun R, Kirkpatrick AW. Ann Intensive Care 2012 · PMID 22873421 · DOI 10.1186/2110-5820-2-S1-S5Narrative reviewindependent cross-checkfull text, structured risk-of-bias assessmentAbdominal pressure is probably raised near term, but most women adapt to it; any role in pre-eclampsia is only a hypothesis. Cortisol is not discussed.
Raised IAP in pregnancy plausible; causal role unproven.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Review IAP in pregnancy
- How was the study done?
Narrative review
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
not applicable
- What was actually found?
Few IAP data in pregnancy (e.g. median 22 mmHg at term, 16 mmHg after delivery); pregnancy considered a compensated state; pre-eclampsia link hypothetical
- How large was the observed effect?
not applicable
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
The growing womb may raise abdominal pressure, but whether this causes complications is not known.
- What are the study's limitations?
Narrative review with a single case; no systematic search; measurement methods unvalidated in pregnancy
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Partly plausible; does not support his general explanation.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Universal
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cannot conclude that abdominal pressure (or cortisol deficiency, not studied) explains pregnancy health problems
-
Belly pressure in late pregnancy and high blood pressure
Jayasundara S et al.. PLoS One 2023 · PMID 37851647 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0284230Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkfull text checkedPressure inside the abdomen was high at term, and somewhat higher in women with high blood pressure; the study was small.
IAP is high at term and possibly linked to hypertension (small cross-sectional study); no causal evidence.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Measure belly pressure in pregnancy
- How was the study done?
Cross-sectional study
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
70 women
- What was actually found?
High pressure at term; association with hypertension uncertain
- How large was the observed effect?
+1.6 mmHg antepartum (not significant)
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Belly pressure rises in pregnancy; its role in disease is unproven
- What are the study's limitations?
Small; reporting errors
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Supports only the plausibility of the pressure idea
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Moderate
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
That pressure causes complications
No study in this group is marked as key.
Regional context
Germany / EU
Not region-specific.
Egypt
Not region-specific.
What applies in my country?
General scientific assessment
Mostly false Cortisol rises in pregnancy; abdominal pressure is a plausible but unproven factor, so the explanation is mostly wrong.
This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.
References
- A longitudinal study of plasma and urinary cortisol in pregnancy and postpartum.. Jung C et al.. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011 · PMID 21367926 · DOI 10.1210/jc.2010-2395
- Adrenal insufficiency in pregnancy: Physiology, diagnosis, management and areas for future research.. Lee JH et al.. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2023 · PMID 35816262 · DOI 10.1007/s11154-022-09745-6
- Intra-abdominal pressure, intra-abdominal hypertension, and pregnancy: a review.. Chun R, Kirkpatrick AW. Ann Intensive Care 2012 · PMID 22873421 · DOI 10.1186/2110-5820-2-S1-S5
- The association between maternal intra-abdominal pressure and hypertension in pregnancy.. Jayasundara S et al.. PLoS One 2023 · PMID 37851647 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0284230