Adverse childhood experiences and HPA axis function in pregnant women

- Evaluated associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and prenatal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
- Maternal ACEs were associated with increased cortisol at 30 min post waking and a flattened diurnal slope
- Maternal ACEs were associated with a progressive steepening of the daytime cortisol slope with advancing gestation
- The findings have implications for the intergenerational transmission of maternal ACEs