Childhood Trauma in Pregnant women

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Perinatal review: childhood abuse history ~5–25% across studies, depending definition; subtype estimates highly variable
Is it more common among pregnant women? Pregnancy can reactivate trauma around bodily autonomy, medical procedures and vulnerability
Are pregnant women at higher risk? #N/A
How much higher is the risk? Childhood-abuse prevalence across perinatal studies ~5–25%; outcome associations heterogeneous
How often can it be missed? #N/A
Does it show up differently among pregnant women? Strong Yes
How might it look different? Examinations, loss of bodily control and fear around childbirth can trigger memories/hypervigilance
What commonly occurs alongside it? #N/A
What can it be confused with? Current obstetric anxiety; PTSD; depression; current abuse
Common screening tool ACE Questionnaire — Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire
Separate screening tool for pregnant women None established
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