Traumatized women’s infants are bigger than children of mothers without traumas

Apanasewicz, Anna; Groth, Detlef; Scheffler, Christiane; Hermanussen, Michael; Piosek, Magdalena; Wychowaniec, Patrycja; Babiszewska, Magdalena; Barbarska, Olga; Ziomkiewicz, Anna

doi:10.1127/anthranz/2020/1285

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…Our preliminary results showed that body weight and head circumference are positively associated with increased maternal childhood trauma among exclusively breastfed infants 29 . Simultaneously, the study also suggested that neither catch-up growth nor breast milk energy density contributed to the observed growth effects 29 . While MCT-associated changes in infant body size have been detected in the very early stages of development–at birth and early postpartum, it remains unclear whether these changes persist in later stages of development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

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Maternal childhood trauma is associated with offspring body size during the first year of life

Apanasewicz

Danel

Piosek

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Maternal childhood trauma (MCT) is an important factor affecting offspring size at birth. Whether the effect of MCT persists during the subsequent development remains unclear. We present the results of a semi-longitudinal investigation examining the physical growth of infants born to mothers with high (HCT) and low (LCT) childhood trauma during the first year of life. One hundred healthy mother-infant dyads were included based on following criteria: exclusive breastfeeding, birth on term with appropriate weight for gestational age. MCT was assessed using the Early Life Stress Questionnaire. The weight, length, and head circumference of the infant were taken at birth, 5 and 12 months postpartum. Separate MANCOVA models were run for infant size at each age. We found an association between MCT and infant size at 5 and 12 months. The children of mothers with HCT had higher weight and greater head circumference than the children of mothers with LCT. These results suggest that MCT might contribute to developmental programming of offspring growth during the first year of life. From an evolutionary perspective, the larger size of HCT mother's offspring might represent an adaptation to potentially harsh environmental conditions. This effect might be mediated by epigenetic changes to DNA and altered breast milk composition.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Maternal childhood trauma is associated with offspring body size during the first year of life

Apanasewicz

Danel

Piosek

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Infant Temperament Is Associated With Milk Cortisol but Not With Maternal Childhood Trauma

Apanasewicz,

Matyas,

Piosek

et al. 2024

American J Hum Biol

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Previous studies have suggested that maternal childhood trauma (MCT) may influence infant temperament, but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study sought to confirm the involvement of breast milk cortisol in the link between MCT and infant temperament. The study sample included 90 mother–infant dyads recruited from the urban Polish population. MCT was assessed based on the Early Life Stress Questionnaire (ELSQ) and infant temperamental factors (surgency/extraversion, negative affectivity, and orienting/regulation) using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire‐Revised at 12 months of life. Cortisol was assayed in milk samples collected at 5 months of life using the ELISA method. Based on the ELSQ median, the sample was divided into low and high MCT groups. The ANCOVA models with milk cortisol as a covariant were run to check the effect of low versus high MCT on infant temperament. We found a positive association between milk cortisol and orienting/regulation. Surprisingly, the low and high MCT groups did not significantly differ in milk cortisol. Furthermore, we found that MCT was unrelated to any infant temperamental factor. While recent literature on the association between milk cortisol and infant temperament is inconsistent, our results suggest that high orienting/regulation might be an adaptation to adverse environments such as stress. Moreover, the infant's temperament appears to be more responsive to the current exposition to maternal stress than her experience of traumatic stress.

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The Impact of Maternal Interpersonal Violent Trauma and Related Psychopathology on Child Outcomes and Intergenerational Transmission

Graf,

Schechter

2024

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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Purpose of Review This review aims to outline some consequences that maternal history of trauma with and without related psychopathology, such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), can have on their children’s development and functioning. It then addresses mechanisms through which intergenerational transmission of interpersonal violence (IPV) and related psychopathology may occur. Recent Findings Findings include the effects of maternal IPV experience and related psychopathology on child social-emotional and biologically-based outcomes. This includes increased developmental disturbances and child psychopathology, as well as physiological factors. Secondly, the review focuses on psychobiological mechanisms by which maternal experience of IPV and related psychopathology likely trigger intergenerational effects. Summary Maternal IPV and related psychopathology can have a negative impact on several areas of their child’s life including development, interactive behavior, psychopathology, and physiology. This transmission may partially be due to fetal and perinatal processes, genetic and epigenetic effects, and interactions with their parents.

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Traumatized women’s infants are bigger than children of mothers without traumas

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Maternal childhood trauma is associated with offspring body size during the first year of life

Maternal childhood trauma is associated with offspring body size during the first year of life

Infant Temperament Is Associated With Milk Cortisol but Not With Maternal Childhood Trauma

The Impact of Maternal Interpersonal Violent Trauma and Related Psychopathology on Child Outcomes and Intergenerational Transmission

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