Intergenerational pathways linking maternal early life adversity to offspring birthweight.

ABSTRACT: Adverse birth outcomes can lead to problematic long-term outcomes for children, and are also known to transmit socioeconomic disadvantage across generations, thereby amplifying the importance of identifying their social determinants. However, the full set of factors causing adverse birth outcomes remains unknown. Drawing together theory describing intragenerational (life course) processes linking early life adversity to adult health, and intergenerational transmissions of inequality via birthweight, this study tests a chain of risk that originates within early adolescence, impacts young women's risky health behaviors in late adolescence/early adulthood and risky health behaviors during pregnancy, and ultimately decreases offspring's birthweight. We do so using structural equation models an

SUBMITTER: Kane JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6626540 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature