Noll Jennie G, Schulkin Jay, Trickett Penelope K, Susman Elizabeth J, Breech Lesley, Putnam Frank W
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA.
J Pediatr Psychol. 2007 Nov-Dec;32(10):1238-48. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsm046. Epub 2007 Jun 14.
Two distinct conditions, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis disruptions and maternal alcohol use, have been linked to preterm delivery. These conditions have also been cited as potential sequelae of childhood abuse. Studies have linked childhood abuse to increased rates of preterm delivery but mechanisms explaining this association are unclear.
This prospective study compared preterm birth rates across offspring born to mothers who were sexually abused in childhood (OA; N = 67) and offspring born to nonabused comparison mothers (OC; N = 56).
Preterm delivery rates were higher for the OA group (Odds = 2.80 +/- 1.44, p < .05). Maternal prenatal alcohol use mediated this relationship, but HPA axis functioning did not. Heightened maternal cortisol was significantly related to preterm status, but only for the OC group.
Results support the hypothesis that childhood abuse is a risk-factor for preterm delivery, however pathways are likely different for women with and without histories of sexual abuse.
下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴功能紊乱和母亲饮酒这两种不同情况均与早产有关。这些情况也被认为是童年期受虐的潜在后果。研究已将童年期受虐与早产率上升联系起来，但解释这种关联的机制尚不清楚。
这项前瞻性研究比较了童年期遭受性虐待母亲的后代（OA组；N = 67）和未受虐对照母亲的后代（OC组；N = 56）的早产率。
OA组的早产率更高（优势比 = 2.80 ± 1.44，p < .05）。母亲孕期饮酒介导了这种关系，但HPA轴功能未起作用。母亲皮质醇水平升高与早产状态显著相关，但仅在OC组中如此。
结果支持童年期受虐是早产风险因素这一假设，然而，有或没有性虐待史的女性的相关途径可能不同。
