Learning deficits and suppression of the cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of offspring are attenuated by maternal chewing during prenatal stress.

•Effects of chewing under prenatal stress on learning are not known.•Chewing helps prevent prenatal stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone.•Chewing prevents prenatal stress-induced learning ability.•Chewing ameliorates prenatal stress-induced suppression of cell proliferation.•Chewing is a good strategy to cope with prenatal stress.