A study conducted in Brazil has uncovered a significant link between maternal childhood trauma and rapid weight gain in male babies, beginning as early as the first two months of life. The research, published in Scientific Reports, follows 352 pairs of newborns and their mothers from Guarulhos and São Paulo. It reveals that adverse experiences such as neglect or physical, psychological, or sexual violence during the mother’s childhood can trigger excessive weight gain in male children, which could increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in the future.
The study is part of a broader research project supported by FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), aiming to explore the effects of intergenerational trauma. This phenomenon refers to the negative impacts passed down from one generation to the next, even if the offspring have not directly experienced those traumas. Researchers from Columbia and Duke Universities, along with the Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP), conducted the study with a focus on mother-baby interaction, development, and mental and physical health.
Key Findings
The study highlighted that although the babies were born within the expected weight parameters, their weight gain in the first few days post-birth exceeded recommended levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests an ideal weight gain of up to 30 grams per day for newborns. However, the male babies in the study gained an average of 35 grams per day, with some babies gaining as much as 78 grams per day.
The research demonstrated that maternal childhood trauma led to an increase in the babies’ weight gain, with each instance of adversity experienced by the mother contributing an additional 1.8 grams per day to the babies’ weight. Notably, this effect was observed only in male babies, suggesting that male and female fetuses may respond differently to early life stressors.
The Influence of Maternal Trauma
Maternal childhood trauma is a significant factor influencing a baby’s early weight gain. To ensure the validity of the results, researchers controlled for various confounding factors such as maternal stress levels, previous trauma experiences, education level, and socioeconomic status. They also found that 70% of the babies in the study were exclusively breastfed, with the remaining 30% receiving a combination of breast milk and formula, ruling out external factors like inappropriate food intake that could impact weight gain.
Why Only Boys?
One intriguing aspect of the study is that maternal childhood trauma only influenced the weight gain of male babies, which can be attributed to physiological differences in placental function depending on the fetus’s sex. Male fetuses, according to the researchers, develop strategies to maintain constant growth despite adverse intrauterine conditions, leading to a higher risk of preterm birth and fetal death. In contrast, female fetuses appear to have a protective mechanism that slows growth without affecting their survival rate.
The placenta plays a crucial role in this process. The placenta of male fetuses is more vulnerable to fluctuations in substances in the maternal bloodstream, such as cortisol and interleukins, especially in the context of maternal stress. This heightened susceptibility can lead to increased exposure to inflammatory factors, influencing the baby’s early growth patterns.
Conclusion
This study is groundbreaking in identifying the connection between maternal childhood trauma and rapid weight gain in baby boys, potentially laying the foundation for future research on how intergenerational trauma impacts health outcomes. It emphasizes the importance of considering maternal history and its long-term effects on the health of future generations. Further research is needed to fully understand these mechanisms and how they contribute to the rising rates of obesity and related diseases.
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