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Updated: Sep 26, 2025

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
06:39

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

3.2K

Childhood adversity, prenatal depression, and maternal inflammation across pregnancy

Margaret H Bublitz1,2,3, Taylor Freeburg2, Meghan Sharp1,3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.

Obstetric Medicine
|April 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Childhood sexual abuse may increase systemic inflammation markers during pregnancy. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, a marker of inflammation, increased more in pregnant women with a history of childhood sexual abuse.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Immunology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammation.
  • Childhood adversity and prenatal depression are potential factors influencing maternal health during pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if changes in NLR during pregnancy differ based on childhood adversity and prenatal depression.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of data from 98 pregnant women.
  • NLR calculated from complete blood counts in the first and third trimesters.
  • Childhood adversity assessed using the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale.
  • Depression assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

Main Results:

  • Women with a history of childhood sexual abuse showed a greater increase in NLR over pregnancy compared to those without.
  • No significant difference in NLR change across pregnancy was observed based on prenatal depression levels.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood sexual abuse experiences may be associated with increased markers of systemic inflammation during pregnancy.
  • Prenatal depression did not appear to influence the change in NLR during pregnancy in this cohort.
Abstract

Keywords:
Pregnancychildhood adversityinflammationlymphocyteneutrophilprenatal depression

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