Women who experienced trauma in their childhood may have higher risk of pregnancy complications and of giving birth to underweight or premature babies, said Australian researchers.
According to a recent article published on the BMJ Open, researchers from the University of Queensland found that women suffered from childhood trauma, such as abuse, emotional neglect, and exposure to domestic violence, were 37 percent more likely to have pregnancy complications than those who did not have such experience, and 31 percent more likely to give birth to an underweight or premature baby.
The research was made by analysing data from 21 relevant studies published in 1994-2022 covering participants mostly from the United States, Canada and Europe.
The researchers also found that childhood trauma was associated with a 39 percent heightened risk of pregnancy related diabetes, a 59 percent heightened risk of antenatal depression, a 27 percent heightened risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, and a 41 percent heightened risk of preterm delivery.
Early-year trauma may "alter the regulation of stress-signalling pathways and immune system function, changing brain structure and function, and changing the expression of DNA and accelerating cellular ageing", which may influence the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Identifying women exposed to childhood trauma and personalizing their care may provide opportunities to improve maternal and child mental and physical health, researchers suggest.