[philman_36]

Cortisol levels SHOOT UP DURING PREGNANCY this is NORMAL, some women produce more than others, it is not simply a reaction to EXTERNAL stress.
Cortisol levels rise and fall during pregnancy.

Cortisol in Blood
Cortisol has many functions. It helps the body use sugar (glucose) and fat for energy (metabolism), and it helps the body manage stress. Cortisol levels can be affected by many conditions, such as physical or emotional stress, strenuous activity, infection, or injury.
Normally, cortisol levels rise during the early morning hours and are highest about 7 a.m. They drop very low in the evening and during the early phase of sleep. But if you sleep during the day and are up at night, this pattern may be reversed. If you do not have this daily change (diurnal rhythm) in cortisol levels, you may have overactive adrenal glands.

Another...Cortisol Tests
Cortisol levels normally rise and fall during the day in what is called a diurnal variation, so that cortisol is at its highest level between 6-8 A.M. and gradually falls, reaching its lowest point around midnight.

It doesn't "shoot up" at all under "normal" circumstances.

[philman_36]

Cortisol levels SHOOT UP DURING PREGNANCY this is NORMAL, some women produce more than others, it is not simply a reaction to EXTERNAL stress.

I've shown you mine so show me (snicker) yours.

[philman_36]

Come on, HamiltonJay, surely you didn’t come unprepared for this discussion, did you?