Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41440377›Full record

ArticleEpigenomes2025

Adverse Childhood Experiences, DNA Methylation, and Depressive Symptoms in Black Pregnant Women.

Alexandra L Nowak, Marvin A Schilt-Solberg, Xiaoyu Liang, Fabiola Magaña, Dawn P Misra, Carmen Giurgescu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epigenomes, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Alexandra L NowakDepartment of Family and Community Health Nursing, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University, Chicago, IL 60153, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3457-593X
Marvin A Schilt-SolbergDepartment of Systems, Population, and Leadership, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8003-4347
Xiaoyu LiangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7796-2441
Fabiola MagañaDepartment of Family and Community Health Nursing, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University, Chicago, IL 60153, USA.
Dawn P MisraDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0093-823X
Carmen GiurgescuCollege of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4577-3184

Funding

Social Stressors and Inflammation: A Mixed Methods Approach to Preterm BirthR01MD011575 · NIMHD · UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA · PI GIURGESCU, CARMEN · 2017 to 2021
$3.9M
Epigenetic aging, social factors, and preterm birth among Black womenR01MD018293 · NIMHD · UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA · PI Carmen Giurgescu, Joyce Ellen Ohm · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
An Integrated Omics Approach to Preterm BirthK23MD019315 · NIMHD · LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO · PI Alexandra Nowak · 2024 to 2026
$473k
National Institute of Health and Health Disparities K23MD01935National Institute of Health and Health Disparities R01MD001575National Institute of Health and Health Disparities R01MD08293NIMHD NIH HHS K23 MD019315NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD011575NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD018293
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrenatal depression, affecting up to a quarter of all pregnancies in the United States, contributes to morbidity and mortality and is associated with increased risk of adverse birth and long-term mental health outcomes. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs, or experiences of abuse, neglect, or family dysfunction experienced prior to age 18) are a strong predictor of adult depression and adverse health outcomes. The present study investigated whether epigenetic modification in the form of DNA methylation (DNAm) of four stress-related, glucocorticoid pathway genes (

methodsUsing a cross-sectional design, we examined the mediating role of DNAm on the relationship between depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)) and ACEs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 10-item questionnaire), in a subsample (

resultsA significant association was found between ACEs and depressive symptoms scores (TE α_X = 2.29 with p_TE = 6.60 × 10

conclusionsThis study provides evidence that DNAm partially mediated the association of ACEs and depressive symptoms during pregnancy among Black pregnant women. Understanding the molecular pathways underlying the mediating effect of ACEs on depressive symptoms among Black pregnant women can illuminate biological markers that help identify and treat pregnant women who are at an increased risk for depression following childhood trauma.

Indexed as

ACEsadverse childhood experiencesAfrican Americanchildhood maltreatmentDNA methylationepigeneticspregnancyprenatal depressionwomen

Identifiers

PMID41440377
PMCPMC12731584

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.