Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the pathways that link mothers’ early life socio economic status (SES) and mothers’ experience
of childhood maltreatment with birth weight among their later born offspring. Data were drawn from a nationally representative
longitudinal survey of school-aged respondents, initially enrolled during adolescence in Wave I (1994–1995) and Wave II (1996)
of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and followed-up in adulthood in Wave III (2001–2002). Data on offspring
birth weight were obtained from nulliparous females (N = 1,897) who had given birth between Waves II and III. Analyses used structural equation modeling to examine the extent to
which early life maternal risk predicted offspring birth weight, and demonstrated that maternal childhood SES and maternal
childhood maltreatment predicted offspring birth weight through several mediated pathways. First, maternal adolescent substance
use and prenatal cigarette use partially mediated the association between maternal childhood SES and offspring birth weight.
Second, maternal adolescent depressive symptoms and adult SES partially mediated the association between maternal childhood
SES and offspring birth weight. Third, adult SES partially mediated the association between maternal childhood SES and offspring
birth weight. Fourth, maternal adolescent substance use and prenatal cigarette use partially mediated the association between
maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring birth weight. Finally, maternal adolescent depressive symptoms and adult SES
partially mediated the association between maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring birth weight. To our knowledge, this
is the first study to identify maternal childhood maltreatment as an early life risk factor for offspring birth weight among
a nationally representative sample of young women, and to demonstrate the mechanisms that link childhood SES and maltreatment
to offspring birth weight. These findings suggest the importance of designing and implementing prevention and intervention
strategies to address early life maternal social conditions in an effort to improve inter generational child health at birth.
of childhood maltreatment with birth weight among their later born offspring. Data were drawn from a nationally representative
longitudinal survey of school-aged respondents, initially enrolled during adolescence in Wave I (1994–1995) and Wave II (1996)
of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and followed-up in adulthood in Wave III (2001–2002). Data on offspring
birth weight were obtained from nulliparous females (N = 1,897) who had given birth between Waves II and III. Analyses used structural equation modeling to examine the extent to
which early life maternal risk predicted offspring birth weight, and demonstrated that maternal childhood SES and maternal
childhood maltreatment predicted offspring birth weight through several mediated pathways. First, maternal adolescent substance
use and prenatal cigarette use partially mediated the association between maternal childhood SES and offspring birth weight.
Second, maternal adolescent depressive symptoms and adult SES partially mediated the association between maternal childhood
SES and offspring birth weight. Third, adult SES partially mediated the association between maternal childhood SES and offspring
birth weight. Fourth, maternal adolescent substance use and prenatal cigarette use partially mediated the association between
maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring birth weight. Finally, maternal adolescent depressive symptoms and adult SES
partially mediated the association between maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring birth weight. To our knowledge, this
is the first study to identify maternal childhood maltreatment as an early life risk factor for offspring birth weight among
a nationally representative sample of young women, and to demonstrate the mechanisms that link childhood SES and maltreatment
to offspring birth weight. These findings suggest the importance of designing and implementing prevention and intervention
strategies to address early life maternal social conditions in an effort to improve inter generational child health at birth.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s11121-011-0253-2
- Authors
- Amelia R. Gavin, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 4101 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105-6299, USA
- Elaine Thompson, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Tessa Rue, Center for Biomedical Statistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Yuqing Guo, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Journal Prevention Science
- Online ISSN 1573-6695
- Print ISSN 1389-4986