Childhood maltreatment as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms in the context of unintended pregnancy

Objective: Individuals who experienced childhood maltreatment show an increased sensitivity to stressful events and are at greater risk for adult psychopathology. The present study for the first time investigates whether childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the context of unintended pregnancy, an event which is common and linked to a variety of potential stressors. Method: 189 individuals who either terminated (41%) an unintended pregnancy or carried it to term (59%) completed a self-report questionnaire of childhood maltreatment and a clinician-administered interview to assess lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms in the month prior to and 12 months after the end of the pregnancy. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis, t-tests, and change score analysis were conducted to investigate the interrelationships among childhood maltreatment, trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms. Results: Participants most frequently reported sexual violence (25.83%), birth trauma (18.54%), or physical assault (16.56%) as their index trauma. Individuals with childhood maltreatment showed increased lifetime trauma exposure and exhibited greater PTSD symptoms 12 months after the unintended pregnancy. Childhood maltreatment did not predict a change in PTSD symptoms from pre- to post-pregnancy. Conclusions: Childhood maltreatment is linked to increased PTSD symptoms that persist up to one year after an unintended pregnancy. These results have clinical implications for the inclusion of trauma-informed practices into reproductive care.