Citation
Meltzer-Brody, Samantha & Thorp, John M., Jr. (2011). The Contribution of Psychiatric Illness on Perinatal Outcomes. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 118(11), 1283-1284. PMCID: PMC4810775Abstract
Lifetime traumatic events and the subsequent development of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with adverse effects on long‐term mental and physical health outcomes. In particular, histories of childhood abuse in women are shockingly common; the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse is 20–25%, and the literature clearly documents that childhood abuse and trauma cause persistent detrimental outcomes on health and functioning. There are multiple abnormalities in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis stress reactivity and other neurobiological processes associated with histories of childhood abuse and PTSD. Moreover, the perinatal period is a highly vulnerable time for the development or exacerbation of psychiatric illness, including both depression and anxiety disorders (such PTSD), and these disorders are often co‐morbid. Notably, perinatal depression has long been linked to poor childbirth outcomes such as preterm delivery and low birthweight.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03072.xReference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2011Journal Title
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & GynaecologyAuthor(s)
Meltzer-Brody, SamanthaThorp, John M., Jr.