Document Type
Article
Department
Paediatrics and Child Health (East Africa)
Abstract
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with prenatal mental health and negative pregnancy outcomes in high income countries, but whether the same association exists in Pakistan, a low- to middle-income (LMI) country, remains unclear.
Methods: Secondary data analyses of a prospective longitudinal cohort study examining biopsychosocial measures of 300 pregnant women at four sites in Karachi, Pakistan. A predictive multiple logistic regression model for preterm birth (PTB; i.e., <37 weeks’ gestation) was developed from variables significantly (P < 0.05) or marginally (P < 0.10) associated with PTB in the bivariate analyses.
Results: Of the 300 women, 263 (88%) returned for delivery and were included in the current analyses. The PTB rate was 11.1%. We found no association between ACE and PTB. Mother's education (P = 0.011), mother's ethnicity (P = 0.010), medications during pregnancy (P = 0.006), age at birth of first child or current age if primiparous (P = 0.049) and age at marriage (P = 0.091) emerged as significant in bivariate analyses. Mother's ethnicity and taking medications remained predictive of PTB in the multivariate model.
Limitations: Findings are limited by the relatively small sample size which precludes direct testing for possible interactive effects.
Conclusions: In sum, pathways to PTB for women in LMI countries may differ from those observed in highincome countries and may need to be modelled differently to include behavioural response to emotional distress and socio-cultural contexts.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Journal of Affective Disorders
Recommended Citation
Shaikh, K.,
Premjib, S. S.,
Lalani, S.,
Forcheh, N.,
Dosanic, A.,
Yim, I. S.,
Samia, P.,
Naugler, C.,
Letourneau, N.,
, .
(2020). Ethnic disparity and exposure to supplements rather than adverse childhood experiences linked to preterm birth in Pakistani women. Journal of Affective Disorders, 267, 49-56.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_paediatr_child_health/155
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