In Australia, 41% of women reported to have had some form of childhood adversity.
Childhood adversity, such as emotional and physical neglect and abuse, has a long-term impact on the mental and physical health of the affected individual, with a landmark study in the USA showing a strong relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and risk factors for the leading causes of death in adults.
However, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have shown to be a protective factor with the potential to mitigate the effect of childhood trauma on physical and mental health outcomes.
Although positive childhood experiences (PCEs), including greater social support, have been shown to lessen the impact of antenatal stress on postpartum depression, little research has explored how these experiences may affect the link between maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and child health and wellbeing outcomes.
The aim of ACE is to better understand how mothers’ adverse and positive childhood experiences may influence pregnancy and birth outcomes, as well as their child’s health and wellbeing, through analysis of the ORIGINS cohort.
Researchers hope to inform universal antenatal screening for maternal ACEs which could transform their prenatal care, provide opportunities for early intervention and support, and work to end the cycle of disadvantage.
Specific aims are:
- To quantify the effect of mothers‘ ACEs and PCEs on the pregnancy, delivery and newborn.
a) Assess the contribution of ACEs with the absense of PCEs on the occurrence of symptoms indicating maternal stress during pregnancy, including hypertensive disorders and adverse obstetric outcomes.
b) Explore the association between mothers' ACEs and the child's birth outcomes, including low birthweight, small for gestational age, and preterm birth. - To describe in detail the impact of mothers' ACEs and PCEs on the child's development and wellbeing.
a) Explore the association between mothers' ACEs and PCEs and the child's development and behaviour, and if this is mediated through perinatal depression. Researchers will further assess if these associations are modified by antenatal and postnatal attachment and perceived social support.
b) Investigate the likelihood of ACEs for eight-year-old children of mothers who have experienced ACEs. The association between mothers' ACEs and the child's ACEs will be examined and stratified according to maternal socio-economic status, antenatal and postnatal attachment, and perceived social support.
Investigators
- Dr Kristjana Einarsdottir, ORIGINS Senior Research Fellow, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Lisa Gibson, ORIGINS Project Officer, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Jackie Davis, ORIGINS Co-Director, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Professor Desiree Silva, ORIGINS Co-Director, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Sarah Whalan, ORIGINS Data Manager, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Ravisha Srinivasjois, Joondalup Health Campus
- Professor David Lawrence, Curtin University
- Associate Professor Sharmani Barnard, Curtin University
- Dana Hince, The University of Notre Dame Australia
- Kelli MacMillan, King Edward Memorial Hospital
- Dr Chinar Goel, King Edward Memorial Hospital
- Natalie Heard, Kind Edward Memorial Hospital