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CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Childhood adversities and negative childbirth experiences: A population-based retrospective cohort study of women in Iceland
1
University of Iceland, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Reykjavik, Iceland
2
University of Iceland, Faculty of Medicine, Reykjavik, Iceland
Eur J Midwifery 2026;10(Supplement 1):A3
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have consistently been associated with adult health complications, including adverse mental and physical health during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between ACEs and women's birthing experiences leveraging data from a large population-representative cohort of Icelandic women.
METHODS:
In this retrospective cohort study, we used data from 22,293 births among 10,759 women (8588 primipara, 13,705 multipara) in the Stress-And-Gene-Analysis (SAGA) with a record in the Icelandic Medical Birth Register. At baseline (2018-19) women responded to the ACE-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and questions on birth experiences in the follow-up questionnaire (2024) while objective markers on birth complications were obtained from the Medical Birth Register. We used Poisson regression to assess the association between ACEs and a negative birth experience, calculating crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS:
The prevalence of a negative birth experience was 22.5% (n=1,717) and 8.5% (1,021) among primipara and multipara, respectively. Exposure to ACEs was associated with an increased prevalence of a negative birth experience in a dose-dependent manner: exposure to 4 or more ACEs was associated with a 2.1-fold higher prevalence of a negative birth experience (PR=2.08, 95%CI 1.81-2.40), with an elevated PR among women experiencing an uncomplicated birth, 3·62 (2.62 – 4.99), vs uncomplicated birth, 1.66 (1.42 – 1.95).
CONCLUSIONS:
Women exposed to adverse childhood events report increased prevalence of negative birth experiences, both after complicated and uncomplicated births. This highlights the need for screening and targeted early interventions for this vulnerable group of women.
KEY MESSAGE:
This population-based study highlights the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on women’s childbirth experiences, underscoring the challenges that women with a history of childhood trauma may face during the transformative experience of childbirth, with potential consequences for maternal wellbeing and infant bonding. Abuse - domestic violence
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have consistently been associated with adult health complications, including adverse mental and physical health during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between ACEs and women's birthing experiences leveraging data from a large population-representative cohort of Icelandic women.
METHODS:
In this retrospective cohort study, we used data from 22,293 births among 10,759 women (8588 primipara, 13,705 multipara) in the Stress-And-Gene-Analysis (SAGA) with a record in the Icelandic Medical Birth Register. At baseline (2018-19) women responded to the ACE-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and questions on birth experiences in the follow-up questionnaire (2024) while objective markers on birth complications were obtained from the Medical Birth Register. We used Poisson regression to assess the association between ACEs and a negative birth experience, calculating crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS:
The prevalence of a negative birth experience was 22.5% (n=1,717) and 8.5% (1,021) among primipara and multipara, respectively. Exposure to ACEs was associated with an increased prevalence of a negative birth experience in a dose-dependent manner: exposure to 4 or more ACEs was associated with a 2.1-fold higher prevalence of a negative birth experience (PR=2.08, 95%CI 1.81-2.40), with an elevated PR among women experiencing an uncomplicated birth, 3·62 (2.62 – 4.99), vs uncomplicated birth, 1.66 (1.42 – 1.95).
CONCLUSIONS:
Women exposed to adverse childhood events report increased prevalence of negative birth experiences, both after complicated and uncomplicated births. This highlights the need for screening and targeted early interventions for this vulnerable group of women.
KEY MESSAGE:
This population-based study highlights the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on women’s childbirth experiences, underscoring the challenges that women with a history of childhood trauma may face during the transformative experience of childbirth, with potential consequences for maternal wellbeing and infant bonding. Abuse - domestic violence
| eISSN: | 2585-2906 |
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