Maternal Psychological Trauma Assessed Prenatally and Offspring Outcomes

Abstract

Psychologically traumatic experiences can have long-lasting physical and mental health effects on pregnant people, increasing the risk of adverse pregnancy, childbirth, and neonatal outcomes. The effect of maternal psychological trauma, assessed prenatally, on offspring outcomes throughout development is understudied. This secondary analysis of a systematic review investigated the scope of research examining links between prenatally assessed maternal trauma and offspring outcomes to identify areas of focus and those needing further investigation. Of 576 studies identified in the systematic review, 80 included offspring measures. Of these, 70 investigated associations between maternal trauma and offspring outcomes. We examined these studies for the type of maternal psychological trauma (including post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), type and timing of assessment of offspring outcomes, and regional variations reported. Most studies used a cross-sectional assessment of offspring outcomes (80%). The most common type of offspring outcome was birth or neonatal outcome (n = 40), which aligned with the most frequently examined time period. Interpersonal trauma (n = 41) and general trauma (n = 41) were the most common maternal trauma types examined prenatally, followed by childhood abuse (n = 37). Only 31.4% of studies measuring offspring outcomes included data on maternal PTSD status. Future research should longitudinally measure the impact of maternal psychological trauma on offspring outcomes through childhood and adolescence, providing insights for clinicians and policymakers. Pregnancy represents a critical period for the assessment and treatment of psychological trauma/PTSD, and further research will improve two-generation interventions across development to improve family health and well-being.