Women who suffer adverse childhood experiences have a higher possibility of developing complications during pregnancy, a study has suggested.
GDM is a condition in which the body does not respond normally to insulin, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. HDP is a common complication of pregnancy and includes chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and pre-eclampsia. While HDP is treatable, it is a leading cause of maternal mortality.
Women having childhood trauma were also 31 percent more likely to have an adverse pregnancy outcome such as premature birth or low birth weight.
Adverse childhood experiences can include physical abuse, household substance abuse and child maltreatment.
“The experience of ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) increased the risk of physical or sexual abuse during pregnancy and is associated with placental damage, uterine contractions, premature rupture of membranes, and genitourinary infections, which ultimately increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight,” the study said.
“Exposure to ACEs is also associated with an increased risk of health risk behaviours including substance use, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet.”
“Previous research has shown that ACEs are associated with pre-pregnancy obesity.”
“Chronic inflammation, unhealthy behaviours, poor sleep and altered stress regulatory pathways are risk factors for adverse pregnancy complications.”
Lead author and UQ Associate Professor Abdullah Mamun said the result “highlights the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences and the importance of preventing these to reduce both immediate and intergenerational impacts.”
“Those experiences can alter the way the brain functions, including things like our stress-signalling pathways and even our immune system function,” he said.
Mr. Mamun added that screening for adverse childhood experiences and providing trauma-informed care are viable solutions to prevent pregnancy complications.
“This is clearly an important area of research, with the negative effects of childhood trauma being felt well into adulthood and across generations,” he said.
The findings, published in the journal BMJ Open, suggest research is needed because of limitations to the data, which came mostly from Western countries.
The study is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the link between negative early experiences and pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes. It reviews 32 studies, with 21 included. in the meta-analysis.
The research was published in BMJ Open.
