Maternal childhood adversity and pregnancy intentions as predictors of pregnancy happiness

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are classified as unintended (e.g. unplanned, mistimed, or unwanted), which have been linked to numerous adverse consequences for maternal and child outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that happiness about a pregnancy is often a better predictor of maternal and infant health outcomes than pregnancy intentions, but few studies have examined maternal predictors of pregnancy happiness.

Methods

Using a clinic-based sample of pregnant women (n = 177), we apply multiple regression analysis to examine the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and pregnancy happiness, as well as the moderating role of pregnancy intentions.

Results

Women with more childhood adversity and pregnancies that were unplanned and mistimed or unwanted reported lower levels of pregnancy happiness, compared with women with less childhood adversity and intended pregnancies. However, pregnancy intentions did not moderate the relationship between maternal adverse childhood experiences and pregnancy happiness.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that pregnancy happiness is lower among mothers with a history of childhood adversity and pregnancies classified as unplanned and mistimed or unwanted. Understanding the factors that impact pregnancy happiness is critical to inform prenatal clinical practice and health policy, particularly when caring for those with a history of adversity.

KEYWORDS:

• Pregnancy happiness
• adverse childhood experiences
• intentions
• unintended pregnancy
• attitudes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences [P20GM109097].