title: Early Childhood Adversity and Pregnancy Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and pregnancy outcomes; to explore mediators of this association including psychiatric illness and health habits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exposure to ACEs was determined by the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report Short Form; psychiatric diagnoses were generated by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview administered in a cohort of 2303 pregnant women. Linear regression and structural equation modeling bootstrapping approaches tested for multiple mediators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each additional ACE decreased birth weight by 16.33 g and decreased gestational age by 0.063. Smoking was the strongest mediator of the effect on gestational age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACEs have an enduring effect on maternal reproductive health, as manifested by mothers' delivery of offspring that were of reduced birth weight and shorter gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 142 Temple Street, Suite #301, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. megan.smith@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Megan V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 142 Temple Street, Suite #301, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gotman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 142 Temple Street, Suite #301, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yonkers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008404:Massachusetts; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Maternal mental health; Pregnancy outcomes; Smoking; Trauma