Abstract
Background
Accumulating evidence indicates that maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity over pregnancy differs according to maternal history of childhood maltreatment. DNA methylation of the placental 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (BHSD) type 2 enzyme regulates fetal exposure to maternal cortisol, yet the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and methylation of placental 11BHSD type 2 has not been previously studied.
Methods
We examined if maternal cortisol production at 11 and 32 weeks’ gestation (n = 89) and placental methylation of the 11BHSD type 2 gene (n = 19) differed among pregnant women with and without histories of childhood maltreatment. Twenty-nine percent of participants reported a history of childhood maltreatment (physical/sexual abuse).
Results
Women with histories of childhood maltreatment displayed lower cortisol in early gestation, hypo-methylation of placental 11BHSD type 2, and lower levels of cord blood cortisol.
Conclusion
Preliminary results suggest alterations in cortisol regulation over pregnancy according to maternal history of childhood maltreatment.
Keywords
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