17/08/2023
Childhood trauma, such as abuse, emotional neglect, and exposure to domestic violence may heighten a woman's subsequent risk of pregnancy complications, and of giving birth to a low birthweight or premature baby, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in BMJ Open.
The risks of pregnancy related diabetes, high blood pressure, depression/anxiety and of giving birth to underweight and or premature babies may all be significantly higher, the analysis suggests.
Pooled data analysis of 21 studies showed that overall, women who had experienced some form of childhood trauma were 37% more likely to have pregnancy complications than those who hadn't.
Childhood trauma might alter regulation of stress signaling pathways and immune system function; it might also change brain structure and function; or it might speed up cellular aging, they say.
The researchers acknowledge that most of the included studies were from high-income western countries, so the findings may not generalizable elsewhere, nor were they able to assess the potential impact of different types of childhood trauma.
But they nevertheless conclude, "The results suggest that exposure to [childhood trauma] increases the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The identification of women exposed to [these experiences] and personalizing their care may provide opportunities to improve maternal and child mental and physical health."
