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Updated: Feb 21, 2026
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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
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Maternal Lifetime Trauma Exposure, Prenatal Cortisol, and Infant Negative Affectivity
Michelle Bosquet Enlow1, Katrina L Devick2, Kelly J Brunst3
1Department of Psychiatry Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School.
Summary
Maternal trauma history impacts infant temperament, increasing distress and sadness. Prenatal cortisol levels can alter how trauma affects infant recovery, highlighting intergenerational trauma effects on child development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Limited research exists on maternal trauma's effect on infant temperament.
- Understanding intergenerational trauma transmission is crucial for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between maternal lifetime trauma exposure and infant negative affectivity.
- To investigate the modifying role of prenatal cortisol exposure in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Mothers reported lifetime trauma and current stressors during pregnancy.
- Maternal hair cortisol levels were measured in the third trimester.
- Infant temperament was assessed at 6 months using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised.
Main Results:
- Greater maternal trauma exposure correlated with increased infant distress and sadness.
- Prenatal cortisol modified the link between maternal trauma history and infant recovery.
- Higher prenatal cortisol strengthened the association between maternal trauma and infant distress.
Conclusions:
- Maternal trauma exposure is linked to infant negative affectivity, independent of prenatal maternal stress.
- Prenatal cortisol may mediate or moderate the intergenerational impact of trauma.
- Findings inform interventions for children exposed to maternal trauma.
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