Maternal Adverse Childhood Experience and Infant Health: Biomedical and Psychosocial Risks as Intermediary Mechanisms

Intergenerational Associations of Parent Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Health Outcomes

“…Parent ACEs have been associated with low birth weight and shorter gestational age, 18,33 maladaptive socioemotional symptoms at age 6 months, 18 and poorer physical and emotional health at age 18 months. 19 In addition, maternal childhood abuse has been associated with offspring newborn brain anatomy differences, 20 offspring emotional and behavioral problems, 34 and worse offspring adjustment. 35 Our intergenerational findings for offspring health outcomes mirror existing research linking ACEs with poorer health in the same individuals, PEDIATRICS Volume 141, number 6, June 2018 5 including obesity and asthma.…”

“…46 Parent ACEs were also related to household food insecurity in a Philadelphia-based study. 15 18,19,33 We also did not measure protective family or community characteristics that may buffer potential effects of parent ACEs on child health. Most parents who were abused during their own childhoods do not later abuse their children.…”

Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences and Offspring Development at 2 Years of Age

“…10 In addition, maternal ACEs were associated with a greater risk for social-emotional problems at 6 and 18 months of age. 11,12 Although the findings are mixed, these intergenerational associations may be partially mediated by maternal psychopathology, such as elevated depressive symptoms. 9,11,12 Maternal ACEs increase the risk for offspring early life adversity, 13 potentially increasing developmental vulnerabilities linked to insecure attachment and/or maladaptive neurobiological responses.…”

Environmental influences on health and development: nutrition, substance exposure, and adverse childhood experiences

“…There is also a small but growing literature on the intergenerational consequences of adverse experiences in early childhood. It appears that the offspring of females with four or more ACEs in early childhood have much higher rates of biomedical and psychosocial adversity in early childhood . In a study of homeless parent‐child dyads, the number of parent ACE exposures in early childhood predicted higher ACEs in their offspring …”

“…It appears that the offspring of females with four or more ACEs in early childhood have much higher rates of biomedical and psychosocial adversity in early childhood. 31 In a study of homeless parent-child dyads, the number of parent ACE exposures in early childhood predicted higher ACEs in their offspring. 32 The phenotypical changes seen in the intergenerational effects of epigenetic change from environment exposure are largely thought to 'reset' in generations without direct, intrauterine, or germline exposure.…”