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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
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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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Pathways to Birth Trauma: Prenatal PTSD as a Mediator Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Childbirth-Related

Samantha Addante1, Elizabeth Hinckley2, Gina Erato Garza3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, RUSH University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Birth (Berkeley, Calif.)
|October 4, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Childhood adversity (ACEs) can predict postpartum PTSD symptoms, with prenatal PTSD acting as a key mediator. Early screening for ACEs during pregnancy can identify at-risk mothers for timely intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Perinatal Mental Health
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth is well-documented, but prenatal PTSD remains understudied despite its impact on maternal and infant well-being.
  • This study addresses the gap by investigating predictors of childbirth-related PTSD symptoms, focusing on maternal childhood adversities and prenatal PTSD.
  • The research involved 91 mothers from a diverse US community sample.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between maternal ACEs and childbirth-related PTSD symptoms.
  • To investigate the mediating role of prenatal PTSD in this relationship.
  • To identify potential targets for intervention in perinatal mental health.

Main Methods:

  • Participants completed validated questionnaires on ACEs and PTSD symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy.
  • Childbirth-related PTSD symptoms were assessed at 6 weeks postpartum.
  • Path analysis was employed to model the indirect effects of ACEs on postpartum PTSD via prenatal PTSD.

Main Results:

  • Childhood adversities (ACEs) were found to be significant predictors of childbirth-related PTSD symptoms.
  • A significant indirect effect of ACEs on postpartum PTSD was observed, mediated by prenatal PTSD (standardized indirect effect = 0.20, p = 0.03).
  • These findings highlight the interconnectedness of early life trauma, prenatal stress, and postpartum mental health outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Screening for childhood adversity during pregnancy offers a dual benefit for maternal mental health.
  • Identifying women with ACEs can help detect those at risk for prenatal PTSD.
  • This screening can also identify individuals vulnerable to later childbirth-related trauma symptoms, enabling targeted prevention and intervention.
Abstract

Keywords:
PTSDadversitybirth traumapostpartumpregnancy

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